Abstract: We have realized that for a connection over a large data network, such as an Internet connection that couples a web access device to a terminal server connected to an applications server, delays associated with the process of downloading large data files over such a connection, occur primarily in the leg of the connection that couples the applications server to a terminal server while little congestion is typically observed in the leg of the connection that couples the Internet access device to the terminal server. The aforementioned delay is reduced by establishing a separate connection from the applications server to the Point Of Presence server outside or independently of the backbone of the large data network thereby allowing users to receive enhanced grade of service for file transfer operations.

Abstract: On the Internet (106), rather than retrieving a frequently requested Web object from its originating server (105) in response to a request from a client terminal (101, 102), the object rather can be retrieved from a cache (103) within the Internet Access Service Provider (IASP) (104), which connects the client terminal to the Internet. What is stored in the cache may, however, not be the most recent version of the object. Distinct from providing the Web object itself, information about changes to the object is provided by the server in response to a cache request that is asynchronous to a request from a client for the object. Such information about changes to an object includes the date and time when the object was last modified, the byte size of the modified object, and information on the type of content of the object. After receiving this information about changes to an object, the cache may then request that a copy of the object be downloaded to it.

Abstract: On the Internet (106), rather than retrieving a frequently requested Web object from its originating server (105) in response to a request from a client terminal (101, 102), the object rather can be retrieved from a cache (103) within the Internet Access Service Provider (IASP) (104), which connects the client terminal to the Internet. What is stored in the cache may, however, not be the most recent version of the object. Distinct from providing the Web object itself, information about changes to the object is provided by the server in response to a cache request that is asynchronous to a request from a client for the object. Such information about changes to an object includes the date and time when the object was last modified, the byte size of the modified object, and information on the type of content of the object. After receiving this information about changes to an object, the cache may then request that a copy of the object be downloaded to it.

Abstract: A subscriber to alias telephone number e-mail system can retrieve both their voice-mail messages and e-mail messages by accessing only their e-mail system. Specifically, when a calling party calls the subscriber of an alias e-mail system who is unavailable to take the call, and leaves a voice-mail message on a network-based voice-mail system, the voice-mail system stores the message. The network-based voice-mail system then determines, through a network-based database retrieval, whether the called party is a subscriber to an alias telephone number e-mail system. In such a system, e-mail messages are addressed with a name portion including a subscriber's telephone number. A translation server then translates the alias telephone number e-mail address to the subscriber's actual e-mail address and forwards the message to the subscriber. If the called party is determined to be a subscriber to such a system, the voice-mail system converts the stored voice-mail message into a text or a .

Abstract: Cross-service connectivity between use of the telephone network and use of an e-mail data network is provided by enabling a recipient of an e-mail message to receive e-mail messages through an alias e-mail address which is directly associated with the recipient's telephone number. Thus, the alias e-mail address consists of the recipient's telephone number as the recipient name at a well-known and publicized common domain name server. A sender therefore addresses an e-mail message to the recipient to that alias e-mail address using the recipient's alias telephone number name. A message addressed to the alias e-mail address is sent to a translation server at that known domain name, where the alias telephone number-recipient name is translated to the actual e-mail address comprising the recipient's actual name and associated domain name server, and the message is then forwarded to that recipient at that actual e-mail address.

Abstract: In order to reduce the delay and/or loss of packets caused by the transmission through a large number of routers on the Internet, a direct connection is established between a client (or its proxy) and a server if the client (or its proxy) and the server are connected to the same alternative subnetwork. Control management information, including the type of subnetwork to which each is connected, as well as the address of the client (or its proxy) and the server are transmitted to the other on the Internet in an optional HTTP header field. After receipt of the addressing information, a direct connection is established on the alternative subnetwork between the client (or its proxy) and the server for purposes of streaming information from the server to the client.

Abstract: On the Internet, different caches may contain copies of objects that have been copied from originating servers when they were accessed by users. Interconnected caches may have different objects stored thereon that might at some time be requested by a client terminal that is connected to a cache other than the one on which the object is stored. Rather than awaiting a request for a particular object and then querying each neighbor cache to determine whether a copy of the requested object is stored thereon, and then downloading the requested object if it is found, information about the contents of the neighbor caches is exchanged between these caches so that when a request for an object is received, the object can be retrieved from the cache in which it is stored. In the alternative, the object may be retrieved from the originating server if, for example, the object stored in a cache is stale based on the date and time it was last modified in the cache.