Patent ID: 7231460

Claim:
In a computer network comprising a client computer and a plurality of servers, wherein each server is capable of being assigned at least one conversion rating, each conversion rating corresponding to a processing capability of each server to convert a first file format unreadable by the client computer that the respective server is capable of converting into a second file format readable by the client computer, wherein the conversion rating depends on the native application used by the respective server or the processing capabilities of the respective server, a method for selecting one of the plurality of servers comprising: receiving a file on the client computer, wherein the file is written in a source format unreadable by the client computer; broadcasting the format of the received file to the plurality of servers; in response to the broadcast, receiving from at least one of the plurality of servers the conversion rating assigned thereto corresponding to the broadcasted format of the received file; selecting one of the plurality of servers having the highest conversion rating assigned thereto corresponding to the source format of the received file; transmitting to the selected server the received file written in the source format unreadable by the client computer; receiving from the selected server a location of the received file written in a conversion format readable by the client computer, wherein the received file written in the source format is converted by the selected server into the received file written in the conversion format; directing a web browser application on the client computer to the location of the received file written in the conversion format on the selected server; and downloading the received file written in the conversion format from the selected server onto the client computer using the web browser application.