Digital Equipment Corporation

William Joseph Gauvin

Edward James Taranto

Harold Jones

David J Sullivan

Kevin P Brosnan

Raymond Cheung

A method and apparatus for enabling access of a document on a remote network device by a local computer includes an interceptor for intercepting a request (from a web browser on the local computer system) for accessing the document. The interceptor responsively ascertains whether the local computer is connected to a network and, if connected to the network, downloads the document into memory of the local computer system. If the local computer is not connected to the network, the method and apparatus locates the document in the local memory of the local computer. Once downloaded or located, whichever the case may be, the document may be utilized by the user, such as by displaying the document on a display device.

Method and apparatus for accessing copies of documents using a web

In response to a command by a local computer system, a copy of a remote document is downloaded onto a remote update network device from an origin network device. A predetermined time after the remote document copy is downloaded, the update network device interfaces with the origin network device to compare the remote document with the remote document copy. If the remote document has been modified since it was copied onto the update network device, the remote document copy is updated to reflect the modifications. When the local computer system reconnects to the network, the updated remote document copy may be downloaded into the memory of the local computer system if the remote document copy on the update network device is different than a local copy of the remote document stored in the local computer system.

Updating a copy of a remote document stored in a local computer system

A local client computer includes a local hypertext server, a local application program, and a downloader for downloading a copy of a remote network document (local copy), that is accessible by the local application program, onto the client computer. When connected to the network, a downloader is executed to create the local copy on the client. When disconnected, the local copy may be accessed and modified through the client browser in a manner that is similar to when the client is connected to the network.

Method and apparatus for modifying copies of remotely stored documents

In a distributed computer environment, an apparatus enables a client application of a mobile client processor to communicate with a server application of a server processor. The client application generates a request to communicate with the server processor. The client processor includes transport procedures for processing the request. The procedures and the client application expect a connection to be in place between the client processor and the server processor via a selected circuit of the communications network at the time the request is made. Therefore, the client processor includes an interceptor for intercepting the request and a communication manager for connecting the client processor and the server processor via the selected circuit of the network. Once the connection is established, the request is passed to the transport procedures.

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Leominster, MA, United States of America

William Joseph Gauvin