Object transfer control in a communications network

Abstract

A method and an intermediate component for controlling in a communications network an object transfer from a first network component via the intermediate component to a second network component which is remote from the first network component are described. The object transfer is based on a plurality of object requests relating to objects referred to in one or more codes to be processed by the second network component or another network component. The intermediate component forms the steps of sending an object request to the first network component, receiving the requested object from the first network component, updating and / or assessing a priority of the requested object, and, in dependence of the priority of the requested object, delaying the requested object or forwarding the requested object to the second network component. An initial priority is assigned to the requested objects on the basis of an analysis of at least one of the object request and the code that refers to the requested object.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 509,979, filed Mar. 18,2005, now pending, which was the National Stage of International Application No. PCT / EP02 / 03802, filed Apr. 5, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Technical Field[0003]The invention generally relates to the field of communications networks and more particularly to an object transfer from a first network component via an intermediate component to a second network component, the second network component being remote from the first network component.[0004]2. Description of the Prior Art[0005]The transfer of information over modem communications networks like the public Internet or internal networks is based on specific transfer protocols. The World Wide Web for example, which constitutes a major aspect of the Internet, uses the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for exchanging files comprising text, imag...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]By intentionally delaying the object transfer based on an assigned priority, the overall transfer of objects is improved from a user's point of view (even if the total amount of data to be transferred is not decreased) because important objects are transferred preferentially. Furthermore, by implementing appropriate priority assignment schemes the object transfer from the first network component to the second network component becomes more predictable. For example objects being of higher significance to the user may be assigned a higher priority and may thus be preferentially transferred to the second component. On the other hand, objects being of lesser significance may be delayed. In the extreme case an object having a low significance may be delayed to such an extent that it is not transferred to the second component at all. This allows to control the order in which objects are received by the second component.

[0020]The objects to be transferred to the second component may be forwarded to the second component via a single or via a plurality of connections between the intermediate component and the second component. In such a multiple connections scenario selected ones of the connections to the second component may be suspended dependent upon the (initial or updated) priorities of the requested objects that are to be forwarded via the selected ones of the connections to the second component. The intermediate component may thus suspend one or more connections so that objects having a high priority can make use of the additional bandwidth that is released on the link between the intermediate component and the second component. In order not to waste available bandwidth the intermediate component is preferably configured such that it ensures that a link formed by two or more connections is fully used before suspending one or more connections thereof.

[0029]It should be noted that the invention is not restricted to the case that the first component acts as network server and the second component acts as network client. In particular, the intermediate component could also be used to improve the object transfer between two network clients or two network servers.

Problems solved by technology

On the other hand, objects being of lesser significance may be delayed.

During the reordering there might arise the situation that due to the delay of some objects the transfer of other objects is actually accelerated.

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