WO2002028054A1

WO2002028054A1 - Method and device for optimizing the data transmission rate in a network connection

Info

Publication number: WO2002028054A1
Application number: PCT/DE2001/003462
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Deuringer; Hermann Granzer; Hubert Streidl; Jörg Vater; Andreas Zollbrecht
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2000-09-29
Filing date: 2001-09-07
Publication date: 2002-04-04
Also published as: DE10048482A1

Abstract

In a method for increasing the data transmission rate in a network between a server (1) of the network and a terminal (2) connected to the network, said server (1) automatically compresses the data to be transmitted and sends the compressed data over the network. The terminal (2) automatically decompresses the received data.

Description

description

Method and device for optimizing the data transfer rate in a network connection.

The present invention relates to a method for optimizing the data transmission rate in a network connection, as well as a terminal connected to the network and a server of the network, which execute the method. In particular, it relates to a device and a method for better use of the physically available connections and the bandwidth of data transmission from a terminal to a server in the network, as well as the connections in the network.

With the connections between a terminal device and a powerful computer set up as a server in a network, which in the future will be abbreviated as a server, there is an increasing problem for a user that the time until information from the network

"downloaded" are increasing. Examples of the networks affected here are an intranet or the Internet. In the Internet, this is based on the rapidly growing data volume, which contains complex, graphically designed information, commonly referred to as "websites". The end devices are mostly computers connected to a server on the Internet via a telephone connection or, in the case of large amounts of data, such as commercial use, via a dedicated line. However, the problems mentioned also occur with other end devices such as entire local company networks (LAN) or with mobile telephones.

Bottlenecks also occur with connections inside the network, with connections between individual servers, since there is not enough bandwidth available on these connections. The data traffic is also limited in the opposite direction by the insufficient bandwidth of the transmission paths if terminal devices offer information in the network and consequently data are retrieved from the network via the connection server.

If very large amounts of data, such as a complete software package, are to be transmitted from the network to a computer, it is known to compress the software package with the help of special programs by a provider of the software program. The resulting significantly reduced amount of data can then be transmitted in a shorter time over the existing data channels of the network. On the end device side, a recipient receives the compressed data and must do so by calling up a corresponding one

Decompress programs to get the original data.

It is also known to make large software packages available as already compressed data.

A disadvantage of these known methods is that the compression is not carried out automatically and a reduction in the transmission times for data is only possible with large program packages to be called up “by hand”, but not with the usual data volumes, such as websites on the Internet, which only be called up by clicking and then transmitted uncompressed.

It is already known to provide compression in a protocol standard of the lower transmission level, which serves to transmit the data between a server and a terminal. For example, in the case of a modem that enables the connection between the network and a computer via a telephone line, the protocol standard of the modem can include compression of the bit sequences in order to achieve a higher data transmission rate. This compression However, it takes place at a very low level of the protocol and has no effect on the transmission protocol between the server and the computer. Above all, the compression takes place regardless of whether a short command or a large software package is transmitted between the server and the computer. This compression only occurs on the last line section, the telephone line, but not on the entire transmission path between the computer and the server.

So far, attempts have been made to increase the bandwidth of the data transmission and thus the volume of data that can be transmitted per time by increasing the physical bandwidth. However, this is only possible by removing and mostly replacing the corresponding hardware and is therefore very expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device with which the bandwidth of a data channel can be increased cost-effectively without adapting the hardware. As many steps as possible should be relieved of the user by appropriate automation.

This object is achieved with the method and the device of claims 1 and 12. Advantageous refinements result from the subclaims.

According to the invention, the server compresses data to be transmitted automatically when it determines that the data is requested from the terminal. The compressed data is then sent over the network by the server. The terminal automatically decompresses the received data and transfers the decompressed data to the software of the terminal.

The transmission time for sending the data is advantageously reduced because the computing power of a server and Terminal is so large that the ^' time for the compression is not relevant.

The server advantageously checks whether the data has already been compressed and only compresses if the data is not already compressed.

The server inexpensively checks whether the data is in a data format in which a considerable reduction in the amount of data can be achieved by compression and compresses only if a significant reduction can be achieved.

If data that has already been compressed is compressed again, there is no further usable reduction in the amount of data. The amount of data may increase again. Certain data are more compressible than others. This is the case for data with repetitive structures, for example graphics. If the method is used only for these, there is a maximum improvement in the transmission speed, since otherwise, with little benefit, no time is required for the compression.

According to claim 4, it is favorable if the server compresses data before requesting the data, stores it and then sends it when it determines that this data is requested by the terminal (proxy function). With frequently accessed data, this saves the time required for compression and further optimization is achieved.

The method can advantageously be combined with encryption. Compressed data is already more difficult for third parties to access because it has to be decompressed in order to be readable.

As far as the steps are carried out by the server, the method can advantageously be carried out by a closed part a computer program of the server. Such a program, referred to as a plug-in, can be inexpensively integrated into various programs that run on the server and offer services in connection with the network.

Likewise, the method steps, insofar as the steps are carried out by the terminal, can be combined in a plug-in.

The method is advantageously used on an intranet or the Internet.

An exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention for optimizing the data transmission rate in a network connection and the method according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figure.

The figure shows in a schematic sketch a section of the Internet with a server 1 and a terminal 2, which is a computer 3 in the present example. The method according to the invention is particularly advantageous for use with a terminal 2 that is connected to the Internet as a network. However, it can also be used on any other network. Other end devices 2 can also be used as computers 3, such as a network-capable WAP cell phone.

The computer 3 is connected to an access server 6 via a modem 4, which is shown here as an external modem for clarity, and via a telephone line 5. A so-called provider grants the user of the computer 3 access to the Internet via this access server 6. The access server 6 is connected via fixed dedicated lines and other connections 7 to other servers, which are not shown here, except for the server 1 shown by way of example, on which the user desires and retrieves it

Dates lie. The totality of servers 1.6 with their connections 7 forms the Internet. The dashed line 8 ω N) JF ¹

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As a result, the loading times for data from the Internet can be improved very inexpensively, without expensive and time-consuming replacement of the hardware, in particular access server 6, telephone line 5 and modem 4. The described method can be used on the target server 1, but it can also only be used on the access server 6. The method according to the invention can of course also be used in the opposite direction if data is transmitted from the computer 3 to the server 1.

The data connections within the Internet or an other network can also be optimized with the described method.

Claims

claims

1. A method for increasing the data transfer rate in a network between a server (1) of the network and a terminal (2) connected to the network, comprising the steps:

a.) determining by the server (1) that data is requested from the terminal (2),

b.) automatic compression of the data to be transmitted by the server (1),

c.) sending the compressed data over the network by the server (1),

d.) automatic decompression of the received data by the terminal (2), and

e.) Transfer of the decompressed data to the software of the terminal (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the server (1) checks whether the data is already compressed and only carries out a compression if the data is not already compressed.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the server (1) checks whether the data are in a data format in which a significant reduction in the amount of data can be achieved by compression and only if a significant Reduction can be achieved by performing a compression.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, since you rchgeke nn zei chn et that the server (1) compresses data before a request for the data, stores it and then sends it when it determines that this data is from the terminal (2) can be requested.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, that the server (1) additionally encrypts the compressed data and the terminal (2) decrypts the data again before decompression.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, since you r ch geke nn zei chn et that the method, insofar as the steps are carried out by the server (1), is carried out by a completed part of a computer program of the server (1) ,

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, so that the method, insofar as the steps are carried out by the terminal (2), is carried out by a completed part of a control program of the terminal (2).

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, since you r ch geke nn zei chn et that the data are also transmitted from the terminal (2) to the server (1) and terminal (2) and server (2) each take over the function of the other.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, since you rchgeke nn zei chn et that a computer (3) is used as the terminal (2).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, that the network is that the network is the Internet.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, that the network is an intranet.

12. An apparatus for increasing the data transmission rate in a network between a terminal (2) connected to the network and a server (1), the terminal (2) and server (1) being programmed so that a method according to one of claims 1 to 11 with the respective method steps assigned to the terminal (2) and the server (1) can run on them.

13. Computer program product, which is stored on a computer-suitable medium, and which, when started on a computer, carries out the steps of a method according to one of claims 1 to 11 to be carried out by the server (1).

14. Computer program product which is stored on a computer-suitable medium and which, when started on a computer (3), carries out the steps of a method according to one of claims 1 to 11 to be carried out by the computer (3).