HTTP Delta Transfer for Reducing Network Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
In HTTP client-server communication, redundant data is often transmitted over the network, leading to inefficiencies, as the server typically returns the entire contents of a web page in response to a request, duplicating data that has not changed.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a delta transfer method where the server compares the current and saved image pages, constructs delta contents, and sends only these changes to the client, updating the saved page and reducing redundant data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the server returns all contents of the HTTP page in response to a request, then the client receives complete page data, but redundant data is transmitted over the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the changed portions (delta contents) from the complete page data. The server identifies and transmits only the specific elements that have changed between the saved page and current page, rather than transmitting all page contents. This extraction principle directly reduces network traffic while maintaining data completeness for the client.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the page data into changed and unchanged portions. By dividing the complete page content into delta contents (changes) and static contents (unchanged), the system can transmit only the necessary segmented portion over the network, reducing redundant data transmission while ensuring the client receives complete information.
2Loss of information
If the server transmits complete page contents, then the client receives all data, but network bandwidth is wasted on duplicated data
Solution Approach 1:
The server extracts and transmits only the delta contents (changed portions) rather than complete page data. This extraction approach maintains information completeness for the client while significantly reducing the quantity of data transmitted over the network, directly addressing the contradiction between data completeness and network data volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The server performs preliminary comparison between the saved page and current page to identify changes before transmission. By pre-processing the data to determine what has changed, the system avoids transmitting redundant unchanged content, reducing network data volume while ensuring complete information delivery.
3Productivity
If AJAX is used to refresh web contents, then partial content updates are achieved, but client-side complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the client request and process partial updates (AJAX approach), the patent inverts the approach by having the server identify and send only the changed delta contents in response to standard HTTP requests. This inversion simplifies client-side complexity while maintaining content update efficiency, as the server handles the complexity of change detection and delta generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The server performs self-service by automatically comparing the saved page with the current page and generating delta contents without requiring complex client-side programming. The server handles the intelligence of identifying changes and preparing optimized transfer data, reducing the need for AJAX-based client-side solutions and their associated complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer program product, and computer system for client-server communication based on delta transfer. A server of the computer system receives from a client a HTTP request for transferring a current image page, compares the current image page and a saved image page which is stored on the server for the client. Based on the comparison, the server of the computer system constructs delta contents between the current image page and the saved image page. The server of the computer system updates the saved image page on the server with the current image page and sends a HTTP response comprising the delta contents to the client.