Patent ID: 6073137
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
In a system including a local computer, a remote server, a network linking the local computer and the remote server and a data store residing on the remote server, the data store including a server folder having server child folders, each of which includes zero or more server subfolders, a method for retrieving and displaying the contents of the server folder, comprising the steps of:receiving at the local computer an indication to expand the server folder;in response to the indication to expand the server folder, displaying at the local computer a cached folder, which is stored by the local computer and which corresponds to the server folder, and cached child folders included in the cached folder, the cached child folders each including zero or more cached subfolders;receiving at the local computer a limited download from the remote server of folder hierarchy information about the server folder that includes the server child folders and the server subfolders, the limited download enabling the local computer to display subfolder indicia in a manner that minimizes execution time and use of network bandwith;updating the cached child folders to correspond to the server child folders;displaying at the local computer the server child folders; anddisplaying at the local computer the subfolder indicia in association with the server child folders that include at least one server subfolder.