Patent ID: 6601091
Filing Date: 2003-07-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for increasing the performance of a data-retrieval program in a computer system, comprising:generating a list of frequently-accessed data sets on the Internet, wherein the list is generated based on prior communications sessions; commencing as a user-programmable background activity for the computer system access and retrieval of the frequently-accessed data sets of the list via the Internet; conditionally storing the retrieved data sets in local storage based on an amount of available local storage in the computer system and a size of the frequently-accessed data sets of the list via the Internet; receiving a request for one or more of the data sets from a user; determining whether the requested data sets are available in the local storage; commencing the access and retrieval of the requested data sets via the Internet in response to the request, if it is determined that the requested data sets are not available in the local storage; providing access to a local copy of the requested data sets in the local storage in response to the request, if it is determined that the requested data sets are available in the local storage; and updating the list of frequently-accessed data sets to reflect the access and retrieval of the requested data sets via the Internet.