Patent ID: 7185068

Claim:
A content retrieval device for retrieving content data from a server via a communication network, wherein the content data includes locational information of each of sub-content data which is linked to the content data and connection method information indicating a connection method which is suitable for each of the sub-content data, said device comprising: a browser section operable to extract the locational information and the connection method information of each of the sub-content data by analyzing the received content data, and to then generate a retrieval request specifying the locational information of the sub-content data to be retrieved presently; a protocol control section operable to select, prior to reception of the sub-content data, a suitable connection method for the sub-content data specified by said browser section from among a plurality of connection methods by using a multi-call function, based on the connection method information extracted by said browser section; and a communication control section operable to receive the content data specified by said browser section from the server under the connection method selected by said protocol control section, wherein: the connection method is either one of a packet switching connection method and a circuit switching connection method; the received content data is a text file written in a markup language; and said browser section is operable to extract the locational information and the connection method information of each piece of sub-content data from an anchor tag written in the text file.