Patent ID: 6934720

Claim:
A method of automatically invalidating data cached in a cache system physically separate from a data server configured to originate data to be cache system, the method comprising: at a cache system physically separate from a data server configured to originate data to be cached in the cache system, caching a first data item received from the data server for service in response to request to view said first data item; receiving at the cache system a change request from a client to alter a data item; comparing said change request to a set of rules for determining when to automatically invalidate said first data item; identifying a relationship between a second data item and a first data item, wherein said identifying a relationship comprises comparing a pattern of said first request to a first rule for determining when to automatically invalidate a set of data, wherein said first rule comprises a first pattern for identifying a request in response to which a set of data may be automatically invalidated, and further comprises a second pattern, different from said first pattern, to identify said set of data to be automatically invalidated; and automatically invalidating said first data item at the cache system in response to said change request.