GB2339034A

GB2339034A - Providing browser access to an information database stored remote from an Internet Service Provider

Info

Publication number: GB2339034A
Application number: GB9806165A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Tilbrook
Original assignee: SYMICRON Ltd
Current assignee: SYMICRON Ltd
Priority date: 1998-03-24
Filing date: 1998-03-24
Publication date: 2000-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2018-03-24
Also published as: GB9806165D0; GB2339034B

Description

2339034 - I -

DATA TRANSMISSION SYST 5 DESCRIPTION

Technical Field

This invention relates to data transmission systems of the kind in which an Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides access to an information database via the Internet from browser means whereby the information can be downloaded to the browser means.

The browser means may be located anywhere in the world having access to a local I5P through a communications line or network, which is usually but not necessarily the public telephone network. The local ISP in turn is able to access the ISP requested by the browser means through the Internet. The sought for information database is commonly organised as a website and is accessed from the browser means using the World Wide Web (WWW) protocol.

The provider of the information database has a number of options as to where his database is located. The simplest option is to lease space on a server machine provided by the ISP at the site of the ISP. However this limits the amount of information that can be provided. In many cases the ISP will make available a small amount of storage space at its server machine, for example up to 1OMb of data storage facilities, at no cost. Greater amounts of storage space may attract charges or else will require the information provider to use a dedicated server machine at the ISP site. This will increase the cost of information provision but allow more information to be stored. In both cases it will be costly and cumbersome to update the information database since it is held at a location remote from the information provider. Another solution, which overcomes this problem, is to locate the information database on the premises of the information provider. In this case however a dedicated and costly communications link needs to be put in place between the site of the ISP and the site of the information database.

It is an object of the invention to provide a transmission system of the kind described in which the information database can be located wherever the information provider wishes but which nevertheless is less costly than existing solutions.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly the invention comprises a data transmission system of the kind in which an Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides access to an information database via the Internet to browser means, wherein a further information database is held at a location remote from the ISP, and there is provided means for establishing an initial communications link from the browser means to a control point through accessing the ISP, means for extending said link from the control point to the further information database, and means for then establishing a data transfer connection from the further information database to the control point and coupling said data transfer connection to the browser means to enable download of information from the further information database to the browser means.

In carrying out the invention the information that is provided is split into two information databases. A smaller part is held at the ISP provider, where the cost of storage is nil or low while a larger part, which constitutes the further information database, can be held at a remote site which can conveniently be the premises of the information provider and where it can readily be updated.

Preferably the information database held at the ISP is in the form of a website accessible through the Internet by means of the World Wide Web protocol and the website incorporates a hyperlink to access the control point.

In embodiments of the invention the control point may include means for verifying that the browser means is entitled to access the further information database. The verifying means is operated prior to extending the communications link from the control point to the further information database. The control point may be situated at any convenient location, for example at the premises of the information provider.

The data transfer connection from the further information database to the control point is preferably established through the public ISDN network.

Brief Descri;)tion of the Drawing In order that the invention may be more fully understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates in diagrammatic form an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Example(s) of the Invention

Referring to the drawing, there is shown therein a web browser means 1 which may be situated anywhere in the world. Browser means 1 may be provided at a remote office or work station used for frequent access to the Internet 2 and may be located on a PC communicating directly with the public ISDN network through an ISDN card connected to the PC. Alternatively browser means 1 may be located on a PC used for more infrequent access to the Internet, which it does through a modem connected to the public telephone network. In either case a caller at the remote office who wishes to access a website through Internet 2 activates browser means 1 and establishes an initial connection to a local Point of Presence constituted by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 3 to which the caller subscribes.

An information provider having a large information database which it wants to make available to browsers through the Internet and wishing to utilise this invention organises his information into two parts, namely a thin website 4 and a thick website 5. Thin website 4 is the smaller part and is intended to be accessed first. It is located at the information provider's chosen ISP and is conveniently up to 10Mb in size. Thick website 5, which will normally be much larger, may be conveniently held on the provider's premises.

Thin website 4 comprises a home page incorporating a hyperlink to a portal page 6 held at a control point or Offsite controller 7. Offsite Controller 7 may be at any convenient location, for example at the ISP 4 or else at or close to the information provider's own premises. Offsite Controller 7 includes means, which may be an ISDN card 8, for making a connection through the ISDN network 9 to thick website 5. Likewise at or connected to thick website 5 there is an Internet Access Server (IAS) 10 capable of connecting thick website 5 to Offsite Controller 7 through ISDN network 9.

operation of the data transmission system illustrated in Fig. 1 is initiated when a caller at a remote station activates his web browser 1 and establishes contact with his local ISP 3. The contact, will where access to a particular website is requested, include the website address or URL (Universal Resource Locator) in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) form of the sought for information. This address information travels through Internet 2 and arrives at the requested provider's thin website 4. The requested information in the form of a web 'home' page is then transmitted back to browser 1 and displayed on the caller's PC. The caller may seek further information and if this is held at thin website 4 it can be provided in like manner to the 'home' page. However if further data, not held at thin website 4, is requested then the caller will be required to select a portal page 6 held at offsite controller 7. The URL of the portal page can be coded in Java language so that access to the portal page is possible only after the caller has provided certain particulars. At portal page 6 provision can be made for verifying that browser 1 is entitled to access thick website 5. Such verification can include providing a prearranged password.

After satisfactory verification, a connection is made from Off site Controller 7 to thick website 5 utilising ISDN card 8. At thick website 5 the call is recognised as a request for connection and thereupon a callback is immediately initiated from IAS 10 to controller 7 via ISDN network 9 and the Internet 2. In other words, once the IAS 10 is stimulated to call back into the Internet 2 (via the ISDN network 9) and it reaches the Point of Presence (PoP) associated with controller 7, a further connection is then made over the Internet 2 to the offsite controller 7. The purpose of this call is to announce its IP address to controller 7. Once this address is known, then the browser 1 can be advised to use this IP address for further browsing of the thick website 5. At this stage the call back from IAS 10 is coupled or 'stitched, to the existing connection from calling browser 1. Once a data transfer connection is completed from thick website 5 through IAS 10, ISDN network 9, offsite controller 7 and internet 2 to the caller's local ISP 3, then download of data from thick website 5 to browser 1 can take place.

The benefits of calling back through the PoP associated with controller 7 - rather than directly to the controller 7 - reside in capacity and physical location. As to capacity, this is kept small because the "stitched" controller 7 is no longer in the data path. As to location, since the controller 7 can be anywhere in the country, the callback in, via the PoP, is always a local call, at local call cost. If the controller 7 were directly connected, a long distance call (and call rate) would typically be involved.

Furthermore, since the connection from the information provider's thick website 5 as far as the offsite controller 7 is set up by the information provider, its cost can be on an "as-used" basis and will therefore be much cheaper than a dedicated line between controller 7 and thick website 5.

The short delay, amounting to about one second, while the connection is set up will barely, if at.all, be noticed by a caller to whom the whole arrangement, including the information split between thin website 4 and thick website 5, will be transparent.

other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the particular embodiment (s) hereinbef ore described may be varied in construction and detail, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought.

Claims

1 A data transmission system of the kind in which an Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides access to an information database via the Internet to browser means, wherein a further information database is held at a location remote from the ISP, and there is provided means for establishing an initial communications link from the browser means to a control point through accessing the ISP, means for extending said link from the control point to the further information database, and means for then establishing a data transfer connection from the further information database to the control point and coupling said data transfer connection to the browser means to enable download of information from the further information database to the browser means.

2. A data transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the information to be provided is derived in two parts from respectively two information databases, a smaller part being held at the ISP provider, while a larger part is from the further information database at said location remote from the ISP.

3. A data transmission system according to claim I or claim 2, wherein said location remote from the ISP is at the premises of the information provider.

4. A data transmission system according to any preceding claim, wherein the information database held at the ISP is in the form of a website accessible through the Internet by means of the World Wide Web protocol and the website incorporates a hyperlink to access the control point.

5. A data transmission system according to any preceding claim, wherein the control point includes means for verifvinq that the browser means is entitled to access the further information database.

6. A data transmission system according to claim 5, wherein the verifying means is operable prior to extension of the communications link from the control point to the further information database.

7. A data transmission system according to any preceding 10 claim, wherein the control point is situated at the premises of the information provider.

8. A data transmission system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data transfer connection from the is further information database to the control point is established through the public ISDN network.

9. A data transmission system of the said kind and substantially as herein described with reference to and/or 20 as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

I I