Patent ID: 8200837

Claim:
A data service system in a data service network system, comprising: a content server that statically stores a plurality of content files for access by external access requests, wherein a first of said plurality of content files comprises content stored in a full content format and wherein a second of said plurality of content files comprises corresponding content stored in an adapted content format which is less resource-intensive to serve than the full content format, wherein the content server comprises a computer; and adaptive load control system software coupled to said content server to pass the access requests to said content server, wherein the adaptive load control system software modifies an access request address to access said second of said plurality of content files instead of said first of said plurality of content files by modifying a URL (Universal resource Locator) of the access request address when said content server is in an overload condition such that said content server is maintained at safe load conditions, said adaptive load control system software comprising: load monitor software that monitors a load condition of said content server without requiring monitoring of a network, said load monitor software establishing the load condition of said content server by measuring an amount of time between when said content server receives an external access request and when said content server provides a response to the external access request; software implementing a control and feedback loop configured for self-regulating partial degradation such that a fraction of said external access requests are modified to access said second of said plurality of content files when said content server is in said overload condition; and controller software that determines a difference between the load condition monitored by the load monitor software and a desired load condition and, based on the difference, varies the fraction of said external access requests between all, some, and none of said external access requests, thereby adjusting the load condition of the content server toward the desired load condition.