System for transferring desired file by transferring concatenated file related to the desired file

A file server device for providing files according to requests from a client, comprising:

• a storage medium for storing files that can be provided by the file server device, and a concatenated file formed by concatenating files related to each stored file;
• receiving means for receiving a request for a desired file specified by a user at the client, from the client;
• and
• transmitting means for transmitting to the client the concatenated file corresponding to the desired file, the concatenated file being selected at the file server device according to the request, and a program for extracting individual files from the concatenated file.

A file requesting client device for receiving files provided by a file server, comprising:

• request means for making a request for a desired file specified by a user at the file requesting client device, to the file server;
• receiving means for receiving an information transmitted from the file server in response to the file request;
• and
• extracting means for extracting individual files from a concatenated file for the desired file, the concatenated file being formed by concatenating files related to the desired file and being selected at the file server according to the request, when the information received by the receiving means is the concatenated file.

A computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a file requesting client for receiving files provided by a file server, the computer readable program code means including:

• first computer readable program code means for causing said computer to make a request for a desired file specified by a user at the file requesting client, to the file server;
• second computer readable program code means for causing said computer to receive an information transmitted from the file server in response to the file request;
• and
• third computer readable program code means for causing said computer to extract individual files from a concatenated file for the desired file, the concatenated file being formed by concatenating files related to the desired file and being selected at the file server according to the request, when the information received by the second computer readable program code means is the concatenated file.

A method for providing files, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting to a connected file requesting device a menu which indicates files that can be provided including a file which is set in correspondence to a concatenated file formed by concatenating a plurality of related files;
• receiving from the connected file requesting device a file request corresponding to a file selected by the connected file requesting device from the menu;
• and
• returning to the connected file requesting device, in response to the file request, the concatenated file when the concatenated file is specified by the file request or one file when said one file is specified by the file request.

A method for requesting files, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a menu which indicates files that can be provided by a connected file providing device;
• transmitting to the connected file providing device a file request corresponding to a file selected from the menu;
• receiving a concatenated file formed by concatenating a plurality of related files or one file which is specified by the file request and is returned from the connected file providing device in response to the file request;
• and
• extracting individual files from the concatenated file when the concatenated file is received.