Patent ID: 6493743
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A network terminal for communicating with a host computer via a communication channel, comprising:a memory configured to store a plurality of application files and a plurality of data files; an initial setting unit configured to communicate with the host computer, download a display screen setting information and a menu of file names of data files and application files stored in the host computer, and to set a display mode based on the downloaded display screen setting information so as to make an operating environment of the terminal equal to an operating environment of the host computer; a menu display configured to display the downloaded menu of file names under the set display mode; a determination unit configured to determine whether the memory stores a file whose name is designated by a user on the displayed menu and whether the designated file is an application file or a data file; a first download unit, if the designated file is an application file and is not stored in the memory, configured to download the designated file from the host computer, extract, based on the designated file, a plurality of data files which were recently used by the designated file and stored in the host computer, and download the extracted data files from the host computer; a second download unit, if the designated file is a data file and is not stored in the memory, configured to download the designated data file from the host computer and, if an application file corresponding to the designated file is not stored in the memory, configured to download the application file corresponding to the designated file from the host computer; and an upload unit configured to execute the designated application file or the application file corresponding to the designated data file, update a data file corresponding to the executed application file, and upload the updated data file to the host computer.