JP2001043124A - Information cache server, information cache system, information acquiring method, and storage medium for information acquisition - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve response by effectively using a communication line. SOLUTION: A client 3 and an information cache server 4 are included. The information cache server 4 is connected between an information providing server 1 and the client 3. The client 3 sets information acquisition conditions for every information to be acquired and specifies information to be acquired. The information cache server 4 stores the information acquisition conditions by clients 3. The information cache server 4 acquires the specified information from the information providing server 1 according to the information acquisition conditions and sends it to the client 3, or acquires and stores the information from the information providing server 1 in advance and sends it to the client 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an information cache server connected between an information providing server and a client in a network system for providing information from an information providing server to a client, and an information cache system using the information cache server. And a recording medium for acquiring information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an information providing server / client type information obtaining system for obtaining information via a network, relay information is provided to relay communication and temporarily store information in a location where a client can access at high speed. It is common practice to provide a server. In this case, the relay information providing server acts on behalf of the information providing server to improve response and effectively use the communication line in an environment where the client and the information providing server are connected by a low-speed communication line. Can be.

[0003] The relay information providing server accumulates, as cache data, information requested by the client as an access request, and updates the information to the information providing server of the information providing source when the client requests the access again. When the date and time are inquired and the update date and time is newer than the cache data acquisition date and time, the information is acquired from the information providing server, sent to the client, and the information is cached. If the update date is older than the cache data acquisition date, the cache data is sent to the client.

Further, as a conventional information cache system, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 11-15714 and 10-
There is one disclosed in 198623. That is, in the former, the information accessed by the client is stored as cache data, and the information is periodically updated independently of the access from the client, and the cache data is stored in accordance with the access frequency of each information. Is disclosed that automatically sets the update interval and updates the data. The latter discloses that information specified in advance is stored in advance when traffic is low, such as at night.

[0005]

However, in the conventional information cache system, the specification of the cache system is performed for each information providing server or for each information in the information providing server. For this reason, in the conventional information cache system, the cache method is set according to the request of the client that is updated most frequently. In this case, even when clients requesting different degrees access the same information, the information is handled by the same cache method. As a result, cached information is continuously updated even when a client requesting a high update frequency is not connected, resulting in a problem that a response is deteriorated due to useless use of a communication line.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and an information cache server, an information cache system, an information acquisition method, and an information acquisition method for improving a response by effectively using a communication line. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a recording medium.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an information cache server according to the present invention is connected between an information providing server and a client in a network system for providing information from the information providing server to the client. In an information cache server: an acquisition condition storage unit for storing information acquisition conditions for each client and for each piece of information requested by each client; an acquisition information storage unit for storing information acquired from the information providing server; According to the information acquisition conditions stored in the means,
Information control means for acquiring information from the information providing server or the acquired information storage means, and transmitting the acquired information to a corresponding client.

In the information cache server according to the present invention, the information acquisition condition is that information is acquired from the information providing server at a designated update time and stored in the acquired information storage means. Acquiring information from the acquired information storage means, or acquiring information from the information providing server at a specified update time and storing it in the acquired information storage means, and when a client requests information, the information in the information providing server Comparing the update time of the information with the update time of the information stored in the obtained information storage means, if the update time of the information in the information providing server is newer, acquire the information from the information providing server; In the case of the same, information is obtained from the obtained information storage means,
It is preferable that the client obtains the latest information from the information providing server when requesting the information.

[0009] The information cache system according to the present invention comprises:
An information cache system for acquiring information from a network system having an information providing server, comprising: a client for acquiring information from the information providing server; and an information cache server connected between the information providing server and the client. The client has an acquisition condition setting means for setting information acquisition conditions for each piece of information to be acquired, and an information designation means for designating information to be acquired; and the information cache server has the acquisition condition setting means. An acquisition condition storage unit that stores information acquisition conditions set for each information by each client, an acquisition information storage unit that stores information acquired from the information providing server, and information designated by the information designation unit.
An information control unit that acquires from the information providing server or the acquired information storage unit according to the information acquisition condition stored in the acquisition condition storage unit and sends the acquired information to a designated client.

An information acquisition method according to the present invention is an information acquisition method for acquiring information by connecting an information cache server between an information providing server and a client in a network system for providing information from the information providing server to the client: The information cache server stores information acquisition conditions for each client and for information requested by each client, and when a client requests information,
According to the stored information obtaining condition, information is obtained from the information providing server and sent to the corresponding client, or information is obtained in advance from the information providing server and stored, and the stored information is sent to the corresponding client. That;

A computer-readable recording medium on which a program according to the present invention is recorded is a network system for providing information from an information providing server to a client by connecting an information cache server between the information providing server and the client to store the information. A recording medium on which a program for acquiring is recorded: a procedure for storing information acquisition conditions for each client and for each piece of information requested by each client; Acquiring information from the information providing server and sending it to the corresponding client, or acquiring and storing information in advance from the information providing server,
Sending the stored information to the corresponding client;
It is characterized by being executed by a computer.

In an information cache server, an information cache system, an information acquisition method, and a recording medium for acquiring information according to the present invention, the information cache server stores information acquisition conditions for each client and for information requested by each client. , According to the stored information acquisition conditions,
The information is acquired from the information providing server and sent to the client, or the information acquired and stored in advance from the information providing server is sent to the client. Thus, each client can obtain information that meets the information acquisition conditions set in advance.

[0013] Even with the same information, the degree of request may differ from client to client. In other words, some clients may find it meaningless unless they are the latest information, while others do not need to be up-to-date. In the information cache server, the information cache system, the information acquisition method, and the recording medium for information acquisition according to the present invention, by setting the information acquisition condition according to the degree of the request of each client, useless use of the communication line is prevented. It is possible to improve the response.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 show an outline of the information cache system according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the information cache system is a system that acquires information from a wide area network system 2 having an information providing server 1. The information cache system includes a client 3 that acquires information from the information providing server 1,
An information cache server 4 is connected between the information providing server 1 and the client 3.

The client 3 communicates with the wide area network system 2 via the local area network system 5.
It is connected to the. The information cache server 4 is connected to a local area network system 5. The client 3 connects to the information cache server 4 instead of directly connecting to the information providing server 1 and acquiring information. The information cache server 4 acquires information from the information providing server 1 and sends it to the client 3.

The client 3 and the information cache server 4 are realized by a CPU constituting a general computer, a main storage device, an external storage device, a mouse and a keyboard as input means, and a display as display means. The information acquisition method by the information cache system can be executed by a computer using a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a floppy disk on which the program is recorded.

As shown in FIG. 2, client 3
The PU includes a communication control unit 11, a cache mode setting unit 12 (acquisition condition setting unit), and an information reference / setting unit 13 (information designation unit) as functions of the PU. The communication control unit 11
This is a means for controlling communication with the information cache server 4. The cache method setting unit 12 is a means for setting information acquisition conditions (cache method) for each piece of information to be acquired. The information reference / setting unit 13 is a unit that specifies information to be acquired.

The information cache server 4 has, as CPU functions, a communication control unit 21, a data control unit 22, and a cache control module 23, which constitute information control means. The information cache server 4 includes a cache control information storage unit (acquisition condition storage unit) 24 and a cache data storage database 25 (acquisition information storage unit).
And a cache control module storage unit 26.

The communication control section 21 is a means for communicating with the client 3 and the information providing server 1. The cache control information storage unit 24 stores the information acquisition conditions set for each information by the cache mode setting unit 12 for each client 3. The cache data storage database 25 stores information acquired from the information providing server 1,
Save temporarily. Cache control module storage 2
Reference numeral 6 stores information on a cache scheme name provided by each cache control module 23. The data control unit 22
The information cache server 4 is entirely controlled. The cache control module 23 performs a cache process using an individual cache method. The data control unit 22 transfers the information specified by the information reference / setting unit 13 to the information providing server 1 or the cache data storage database 25 according to the information acquisition conditions stored in the cache control information storage unit 24.
From the communication control unit 21 to the designated client 3.

The information acquisition condition (cache method) is set and stored in one of the following (1) to (3).
(1) At the specified update time, information is acquired from the information providing server 1 and stored in the cache data storage database 25. When the client 3 requests information, the information is acquired from the cache data storage database 25. (2)
At the specified update time, the information is acquired from the information providing server 1 and stored in the cache data storage database 25. When the client 3 requests the information, the information providing server 1
Is compared with the update time of the information stored in the cache data storage database 25, and when the update time of the information in the information providing server 1 is newer, the information is acquired from the information providing server 1, If the update times are the same, the information is acquired from the cache data storage database 25. (3) When the client 3 requests information, the latest information is acquired from the information providing server 1. The update time is set according to the request.

As an example of the cache system, there is a periodic cache data update system using a timer. That is, the update time is specified in advance for the specified information, and the information in the cache data storage database (cache disk) 25 is automatically updated by the timer. Such specified information is sent unconditionally from the cache data storage database 25 to the client 3.

The outline of the information acquisition method by the information cache system will be described below. (1) In the client 3, prior to acquiring information, the cache scheme setting unit 12 assigns a name to each piece of information to be acquired and specifies an acquisition condition or a handling method (cache scheme) of the information. This cache method is stored in the cache control information storage unit 24.

(2) The information cache server 4 acquires information from the information providing server 1 by the wide area network system 2 based on the cache method specified by the client 3 and stores the information in the cache data storage database 25.

(3) The client 3 requests the information cache server 4 to acquire information by designating the name of the previously specified information, the location of the information, and other necessary information in the information reference / setting unit 13.

(4) The information cache server 4 passes the information specified by the information reference / setting unit 13 to the cache control module 23.

(5) The cache control module 23
Based on the passed information, the location and the obtaining method of the information to be obtained are passed to the data control unit 22.

(6) In accordance with the designation of the cache control module 23, the data control unit 22 performs the following (a) to (c)
Is sent to the client 3. (A)
Information in the cache in the cache data storage database 25, (b) information obtained from the information providing server 1,
(C) The acquisition date and time of the information in the cache and the update date and time of the information in the information providing server 1 are compared, and if the update time of the information in the information providing server 1 is newer, the information from the information providing server 1; If the update time is the same, the information in the cache.

Next, the details of the processing procedure will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described based on. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the setting of the cache method is performed according to the following procedures (1) to (5). (1) In the cache method setting unit 12 of the client 3,
The information held by the cache mode setting unit 12 is transmitted to the information cache server 4, and the cache mode is specified (S
1). At this time, the client 3 specifies a cache method for each “information name”. The cache method is specified by the cache method name provided by the cache control module 23. Also, the cache control module 23
Also specify the additional information required by.

More specifically, the cache system is set by specifying the following information (a) to (d). (A) [Setting of information name] An information name for specifying a cache method is specified. (B) [Setting of cache system name] The cache system name provided by the cache control module 23 is specified. (C) [Setting of validity period] The validity period of the cache method is designated. (D) [Setting of additional information] Other information specific to the cache system is specified as necessary.

(2) The data control unit 22 of the information cache server 4 analyzes the received information (S2) and stores it as a cache control information table 31 in the format shown in FIG. 4 (S3).

(3) The data control unit 22 of the information cache server 4 reads the cache control module 23 for providing the cache system of the “cache system name” in the information received from the client 3 from the cache control module table 32 of FIG. Search (S4).

(4) The data control unit 22 of the information cache server 4 uses the retrieved cache control module 23
To the client 3 (S5).

(5) The cache control module 23
According to the respective operation policies, the received information is processed, and the information is acquired from the information providing server 1 and cached (S6). The information acquired from the information providing server 1 is stored in the cache data table 3 shown in FIG.
Store at 3.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, information acquisition is performed according to the following procedures (1) to (6). (1) The client 3 transmits the following specified information (a) to (c) to the cache server and specifies the information to be obtained (S7). (A) [information name]. (B) [Detailed information specification] If necessary, specify the location of the information in the URL (Unifor
m Resource Location). (C) [Additional information] Other information specific to the cache system is specified as necessary.

(2) The data control unit 22 analyzes the received information (S8).

(3) The data control unit 22 searches the cache control module 23 that provides the cache system of the “cache system name” in the information received from the client 3 from the cache control module-cache system name correspondence table of FIG. I do.

(4) The data control unit 22 sends the information received from the client 3 to the cache control module 23 and inquires about the information to be obtained and the method of obtaining it (S
11).

(5) The cache control module 23
According to the respective operation policies, the following (a) to
One of (c) is selected and notified to the data control unit 22 (S12). (A) Obtain information from the information providing server 1 unconditionally. (B) The information providing server 1 is inquired about the date and time of the information update, and if the date is later than the acquisition date and time of the information in the cache, the information is acquired from the information providing server 1. If it is not newer than the acquisition date and time of the information in the cache, the information in the cache is used. (C) Unconditionally use the information in the cache.

(6) According to the method specified by the cache control module 23, information is sent to the client 3 as follows. (5) If (a) is selected,
The information is acquired from the information providing server 1 (S16), and the information is sent to the client 3 (S17) and cached (S18). (5) When (b) is selected, the information providing server 1 is inquired about the update date and time of the information (S14, S14).
15) If it is newer than the acquisition date and time of the information in the cache, the information is acquired from the information providing server 1 (S16),
The information is sent to the client 3 (S17) and cached (S18). If (c) is selected, the cached information is sent to the client 3 (S13).

As described above, according to the information cache system, the client 3 requests the information cache server 4 to perform communication by designating the content and how to handle the information in advance, so that optimum information can be efficiently obtained for each client 3. can do.

Further, since the cache system can be finely controlled individually for each client 3, it is possible to reduce cache of information that is unlikely to be used.
Useless resources of the information cache server 4 and communication lines can be reduced. The response can be improved by effective use of the communication line.

The realization of each cache system is performed by the individual cache control module 23. Therefore, a new cache system can be provided by properly using various cache systems or by creating and incorporating the cache control module 23 that realizes the new cache system. In this way, a system that is highly expandable can be configured.

By incorporating a cache scheme setting mechanism into the client 3, an optimal cache scheme can be applied to the client 3 without the user explicitly setting the scheme. In addition, client 3
If a cache scheme change mechanism is incorporated in the system, the cache scheme can be changed for each user.

[0044]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the information cache system of the present invention will be described below. This information cache system is a system that acquires specified information every day at a specified time.

[1] Operation example at the time of information registration (1) The following information is received from the client 3. [Data name: data 1, expiration date: 1999. 3.20, additional information: URL: <http://www.foo.com/data1/foo/>, TIM
E: 2: 00 A.M.)

(2) The received information is analyzed and stored as cache control information as shown in FIG.

(3) The cache control module-cache scheme name correspondence table is as shown in FIG. The cache control module 23 that provides the “A method” as the “cache method” is searched from the following table, and the corresponding “module 1” is searched.

(4) The following information is sent to the cache control module 23 "module 1". [Data name: Data 1, Expiration date: 1999. 3.20, Additional information: URL: <http://www.foo.com/data1/foo/>, TIME: 2:
00A.M.)

(5) The cache control module 23 “module 1” stores the received information in a table as shown in FIG.

(6) The cache control module 23 “Module 1” is used every day until March 20, 1999:
00 to the data control unit 22 "http://www.foo.com/data1
/ foo / ".

(7) In response to a request from the cache control module 23, the data control unit 22
The update date and time of the information indicated by “http://www.foo.com/data1/foo/” is acquired, and if the date is later than the acquisition date and time of the information in the cache, the corresponding information is sent from the information providing server 1. To get.

[2] Example of Operation at the Time of Information Acquisition (1) The client 3 transmits the following information to the information cache server 4 and requests acquisition of the information. [Data name: data 1, additional information: none]

(2) The information cache server 4 analyzes the information received from the client 3 and searches the table shown in FIG. 4 for a cache system for the information having the data name "data 1". Is done.

(3) The information cache server 4 searches the table shown in FIG. 5 for the cache control module 23 that provides the cache mode "A mode", and searches for "module 1".

(4) The data control unit 22 of the information cache server 4 sends the following information to the cache control module 23 “module 1”, and inquires the client 3 about the URL of the information to be transmitted and the processing method. [Data name: data 1, additional information: none]

(5) The cache control module 23
The URL of the information having the data name “data 1” is searched with reference to the table owned by itself, and “http://www.foo.com/d
ata1 / foo / "is searched. Then, the following information is returned to the data control unit 22. (URL: http://www.foo.com/d
ata1 / foo /, processing method: normal)

(6) The data control unit 22 checks whether “http://www.foo.com/data1/foo/” exists in the cache data, and if it exists, the information in the cache is Send to 3. If the corresponding information does not exist in the cache, the information is acquired from the information providing server 1 and transmitted to the client 3. The information obtained from the information providing server 1 is stored as cache data.

As an example where this information cache system is effective, it is conceivable to obtain sales information that is constantly updated. That is, the client A is a client for a company executive or the like to see a change in sales, and the client B is a client for some employees to see the latest sales to date. At this time, the client A only needs to be able to refer to the information up to a certain point (the information need not be the latest), but the client B needs the latest information. Assuming that client A occupies a larger number than client B, this information cache system can reduce the amount of communication and improve the response of client A.

[0059]

According to the information cache server, the information cache system, the information acquisition method and the recording medium for acquiring information according to the present invention, the response can be improved by effectively using the communication line.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an information cache system and a network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an information cache system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a setting procedure of a cache method by the information cache system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cache control information table by the information cache system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a cache control module table by the information cache system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cache data table by the information cache system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an information acquisition procedure by the information cache system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a cache data table by the information cache system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information provision server 2 Wide area network system 3 Client 4 Information cache server 5 Local area network system 11 Communication control unit 12 Cache method setting unit 13 Information reference / setting unit 21 Communication control unit 22 Data control unit 23 Cache control module 24 Cache control information Storage unit 25 Cache data storage database 26 Cache control module storage unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B082 HA02 5B089 GA11 GA19 GA21 GB04 HA10 JA22 JB22 KA05 KA08 KB07 KB11 KB11 KD02

Claims (5)

[Claims] In an information cache server connected between an information providing server and a client in a network system for providing information from the information providing server to the client, information acquisition conditions are set for each client and for information requested by each client. An acquisition condition storage unit for storing, an acquisition information storage unit for storing information acquired from the information providing server, and an information acquisition condition stored in the acquisition condition storage unit. Information control means for acquiring information and transmitting the acquired information to a corresponding client. 2. The information acquisition condition includes acquiring information from the information providing server at a designated update time and storing the information in the acquired information storage means. When the client requests information, the information is acquired from the acquired information storage means. Acquiring or acquiring information from the information providing server at a designated update time and storing it in the acquired information storage means, and when a client requests information, the update time of the information in the information providing server and the acquired information Comparing the update time of the information stored in the storage means with the information providing server, if the update time of the information is newer, obtain the information from the information providing server; if the update times are the same, obtain the information Acquiring information from the information storage means, or acquiring the latest information from the information providing server when the client requests the information, Information cache server according to claim 1, wherein that. 3. An information cache system for obtaining information from a network system having an information providing server, wherein the client is configured to obtain information from the information providing server, and is connected between the information providing server and the client. The client has an acquisition condition setting unit that sets information acquisition conditions for each piece of information to be acquired, and an information designation unit that designates information to be acquired. An acquisition condition storage unit for storing, for each client, information acquisition conditions set for each information by the acquisition condition setting unit; an acquisition information storage unit for storing information acquired from the information providing server; Information obtained in accordance with the information acquisition condition stored in the acquisition condition storage means. Information cache system acquired from the information providing server or the acquisition information storage unit, that and an information control means for sending to the client that specifies the acquired information, characterized. 4. An information obtaining method for obtaining information by connecting an information cache server between an information providing server and a client in a network system for providing information from the information providing server to the client, the information cache server comprising: Information and the information acquisition conditions are stored for each of the information requested by each client, and when the client requests the information, according to the stored information acquisition conditions, the information is acquired from the information providing server and sent to the corresponding client, or An information acquisition method, wherein information is acquired in advance from the information providing server and stored, and the stored information is sent to a corresponding client. 5. A recording medium recording a program for connecting a data cache server between a data providing server and a client to obtain information in a network system for providing data from a data providing server to a client, A procedure for storing information acquisition conditions for each client and for each piece of information requested by each client; and when a client requests information, acquires information from the information providing server according to the stored information acquisition conditions and sends the information to the corresponding client. Or a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute a procedure of acquiring and storing information in advance from the information providing server and transmitting the stored information to a corresponding client.