Patent ID: 8204962

Claim:
A method of retrieving files from across a network, comprising: receiving a search comprising search criteria; in response to the received search, displaying a list file containing a list of discrete files that are located across a network, wherein respective formats of at least some of the discrete files vary; enabling selection of sort criteria for the list file; defining a sequence of the discrete files, wherein the sequence is based upon the search criteria and the sort criteria; enabling a selection of a first file in the list file; initiating retrieval of the first file in response to the selection of the first file; automatically initiating retrieval of at least one additional file listed in the list file, wherein the retrieval of the at least one additional file is based on the defined sequence and includes skipping retrieval of at least one file between a first point in the sequence and a second point in the sequence; completing retrieval of the first file; displaying the first file while retrieving the at least one additional file, wherein a number of files being retrieved simultaneously is less than a received maximum allowable number of simultaneous retrievals; and automatically adjusting the maximum allowable number of simultaneous retrievals based on a throughput across the network.