Patent ID: 7228317

Claim:
A method for accelerating and improving access to network files, comprising the computer-implemented steps of: maintaining, within a child component, a cache of files obtained by said child component, from a file source, in response to previously-received requests from requestors; in response to a request from a requestor, retrieving a current version of a file from said file source; determining if said file has been modified since said file was provided to said child component by comparing said current version of said file with a version of said file that was sent to said child component; if said file has been modified since last provided to said child component, then generating a delta of said file wherein said delta indicates differences between said current version and said version that was sent to said child component; transmitting said delta to said child component; using said delta and said version on said child component to create an updated version of said file on said child component; transmitting said updated version to said requestor; and in response to detecting that a second file has been changed at said file source, performing the steps of: determining that a non-current version of said second file resides in said cache of files maintained within said child component; and in response to determining that said non-current version of said second file resides in said cache of files maintained within said child component, causing said non-current version of said second file to be updated within said child component without having received any request for said second file from said child component, by performing the steps of: generating a second delta of said second file wherein said second delta indicates differences between said non-current version of said second file on said child component and said second file at said file source; transmitting said second delta to said child component; and using said second delta and said non-current version on said child component to create a second updated version of said second file on said child component.