Yahoo! Inc.

Inktomi Corporation

Kevin A Epstein

Paul Andre Gauthier

Marco J Zagha

Bradley G Fowlow

Michael Alexander Chowla

Anshu Aggarwal

A method and apparatus for accelerating and improving access to network files is provided. One technique for providing data quickly and efficiently is to send a thumbnail of a file to a user rather than sending the entire file. Another technique for providing data quickly and efficiently is to generate the difference between a current version of data and a non-current version of data, to transmit this difference to the requesting user, and to use the difference to update the non-current version of data the user currently has access to. A third technique that can be used in combination with the first two techniques is to compress data, such as the thumbnail or file difference, before transmitting this data. A fourth technique that can be used in combination with the third technique is to securely transmit the compressed data.

Method and apparatus for accelerating and improving access to network files

A method and apparatus are provided for capturing and managing user-specific data, where the user-specific data contains information on the user's interaction with the Net. The method generally involves using a proxy to capture or cause to capture the user-specific data and then storing the user-specific data. The user-specific data may be used to customize the contents of electronic information delivered to the particular user.

Method of creating data streams for user-specific usage data gathering systems

Growing community of inventors

San Mateo, CA, United States of America

Kevin A Epstein