Parallel random proxy usage for large scale web access
AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorSimon D. Byers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method efficiently and anonymously retrieves large scale Web data through a restricted query interface. A number of proxy servers are utilized to permit parallel access to a target Web server for processing multiple queries simultaneously. Latency in the individual queries is absorbed by the proxy servers. Queries that would otherwise appear structured to the target server are assigned to the proxy server in a random fashion, obscuring the structured nature of the queries. The anonymous nature of the queries made by the proxy servers furthermore conceals the identity of the originating server.
Claims31
A machine readable medium containing configuration instructions for performing a method for retrieving data accessible by posing a plurality of queries over a network to at least one target server, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a plurality of proxy server services;
- transmitting a first one of the plurality of queries to a first one of the plurality of proxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers;
- transmitting a second one of the plurality of queries to a second one of the plurality of proxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers;
- and
- for each one of the plurality of queries, receiving from its corresponding proxy server service a reply from its corresponding target server.
A method for retrieving data accessible by posing a plurality of queries over a network to at least one target server, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a plurality of proxy server services;
- transmitting a first one of the plurality of queries to a first one of the plurality of proxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers;
- transmitting a second one of the plurality of queries to a second one of the plurality of proxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers;
- and
- for each one of the plurality of queries, receiving from its corresponding proxy server service a reply from its corresponding target server.
A method of configuring a client machine connected to a network, the method comprising transmitting configuration instructions through the network to the client machine for performing a method of retrieving information accessible by posing a plurality of queries over the network to at least one target server, the retrieval method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a plurality of proxy server services;
- transmitting a first one of the plurality of queries to a first one of the plurality of proxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers;
- transmitting a second one of the plurality of queries to a second one of the plurality of proxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers;
- and
- for each one of the plurality of queries, receiving from its corresponding proxy server service a reply from its corresponding target server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.