System and method for accelerating network interaction

A method for providing accelerated network interaction as experienced by a user of a processor-based system operating under control of a network user interface, said processor-based system coupled to a data communication network having a plurality of network devices coupled thereto, wherein said processor-based system includes a cache storing resources previously retrieved from said data communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

• emulating interaction of said network user interface with said data communication network;
• substantially immediately presenting a presently selected resource to said user from said cache without a prior determination that said selected resource in said cache is current, wherein said presenting step is operable with said emulating step to cause said presentation to appear to said user to have included network interaction;
• and
• retrieving from said data communication network said presently selected resource, wherein said retrieving step is operable as a diminished priority task to up-date said resource if stored in said cache and said selected resource in said cache is determined not to be current, and wherein said retrieving step is operable as a high priority task to retrieve said resource if not in said cache.

A system for retrieving information over a network prior to the information being selected for use by a user of a processor-based system, said processor-based system coupled to a data communication network having a plurality of network devices coupled thereto, said system comprising:

• means for identifying information available from ones of said network devices associated with presently selected information;
• means for determining said information associated with said presently selected information most likely to be selected;
• means for retrieving from said data communication network information associated with said presently selected information, wherein said retrieving means operates to retrieve identified information determined to be most likely to be selected before other identified information;
• and
• means for presenting ones of said retrieved identified resources substantially immediately to said user upon subsequent selection for use by said user, wherein said presenting means operates to emulate network communication when presenting said ones of said retrieved identified resources to said user.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for providing enhanced network interaction to a user of a processor-based system operating under control of a standardized network user interface, said processor-based system coupled to a data communication network having a plurality of network devices coupled thereto, wherein said processor-based system includes a cache storing resources previously retrieved from said data communication network, said computer program product comprising:

• means for interfacing substantially transparently to said network user interface;
• means for emulating interaction of said network user interface with said data communication network;
• means for substantially immediately presenting a presently selected resource to said user from said cache if stored therein, wherein said presenting means is operable with said emulating means to cause said presentation to appear to said user to have included network interaction;
• and
• means for retrieving from said data communication network said presently selected resource, wherein said retrieving means is operable as a diminished priority task to up-date said resource if stored in said cache, and wherein said retrieving means is operable as a high priority task to retrieve said resource if not stored in said cache.

A system for accelerating network interaction as experienced by a user of a first processor-based system coupled to a second processor-based system through a data communication network, wherein said first processor-based system includes a cache of resources previously accessed via said data communication network, said system comprising:

• means for determining if a resource to be accessed is stored in said cache;
• means for substantially immediately presenting said resource to said user if said resource is determined to be in said cache;
• and
• means for communicating over said network to access said resource to be accessed, wherein said communicating means comprises:
• means for retrieving said resource via said data communication network, wherein said retrieved resource is stored in said cache when retrieved, wherein retrieval of said resource is accomplished as a high priority task of said first processor-based system if said resource is determined not to be in said cache;
• and
• means for determining if said resource as presented to said user from said cache has been changed, wherein said retrieval of said resource is accomplished as a low priority task of said first processor-based system if said resource is determined to be in said cache and determined to have been changed, and wherein said resource is not retrieved if said resource determined to be in said cache is determined not to have been changed.

A system for accelerating network interaction as experienced by a user of a first processor-based system coupled to a second processor-based system through a data communication network, wherein said first processor-based system includes a cache of resources previously accessed via said data communication network, said system comprising:

• means for determining if a resource to be accessed is stored in said cache;
• means for substantially immediately presenting said resource to said user if said resource is determined to be in said cache;
• means for communicating over said network to access said resource to be accessed, wherein said communicating means comprises:
• means for retrieving said resource via said data communication network, wherein said retrieved resource is stored in said cache when retrieved, wherein retrieval of said resource is accomplished as a high priority task of said first processor-based system if said resource is determined not to be in said cache;
• means for determining if said resource as presented to said user from said cache has been changed, wherein said retrieval of said resource is accomplished as a low priority task of said first processor-based system if said resource is determined to be in said cache and determined to have been changed, and wherein said resource is not retrieved if said resource determined to be in said cache is determined not to have been changed;
• and
• means for identifying resources as undesirable to said user, said identifying means including identification of a plurality of resources previously determined to be undesirable to said user, wherein said retrieving means is operable to avoid retrieving said identified undesirable resources;
• means for verifying from said data communication network a selected one of said network addresses and for retrieving said network address if determined to be erroneous by said verifying means;
• and
• means for retrieving from said data communication network resources associated with said resource to be accessed, said associated resources being resources not currently selected, wherein said associated resources retrieving means operates as a low priority task of said first processor-based system to retrieve said associated resources.

A method for retrieving information over a network prior to the information being selected for use by a user of a processor-based system, said processor-based system coupled to a data communication network having a plurality of network devices coupled thereto, said method comprising:

• identifying information available from ones of said network devices associated with presently selected information;
• determining said information associated with said presently selected information most likely to be selected;
• retrieving from said data communication network information associated with said presently selected information, wherein said identified information determined to be most likely to be selected is retrieved before other identified information.
• receiving at a user interface a selection of said retrieved information associated with said presently selected information;
• and
• emulating network communication in providing said retrieved information selected in said receiving step to said user interface.