(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`13 September 2001 (13.09.2001)
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/67233 A2
`
`(51) International Patent Classification':
`
`GO6F 9/00
`
`(21) International Application Number: PCT/US01/06756
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`2 March 2001 (02.03.2001)
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`09/519,375
`
`3 March 2000 (03.03.2000) US
`
`(71) Applicant: STORAGE TECHNOLOGY CORPORA-
`TION [US/US]; Wayne P Bailey, One StorageTek Drive,
`MS-4309, Louisville, CO 80028-4309 (US).
`
`(72) Inventors: McCOWN, Steven, H.; 12085 Wheeling
`Street, Brighton, CO 80601 (US). LEONHARDT,
`Michael, L.; 4076 Driver Court, Longmont, CO 80503
`(US). NGUYEN, Thai; 2638 East 102nd Avenue, Thorn-
`ton, CO 80229 (US).
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU,
`AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ,
`DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, Fl. GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR,
`HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
`LS. LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ,
`NO. NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM,
`TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian
`patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FT, FR, GB, GR, IE,
`IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF,
`CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Published:
` without international search report and to be republished
`
`upon receipt of that report
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid-
`ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin-
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.
`
`(54) Title: METHOD FOR NETWORK-BASED STORAGE SITE SERVICES
`
`- 144
`
`160
`
`RROwsFR
`
`SW APP
`
`7-152,153
`
`136
`
`130
`
`(1)
`
`N
`VC)
`
`(57) Abstract: Selected files are downloaded across a network from a remote site into a client's storage space account established
`cl within a storage site. Selection of the files is provided by a client operating at a user site connected to the network. A data request
`identifying the selected files to be downloaded, and containing an identifier is generated at the user site and sent to the storage site.
`C The storage site authenticates the identifier, and if successful, generates and sends a download request to the remote site to download
`
`the selected files. The remote site responds to the download request by downloading the selected files to the storage site where they
`are stored in the client's storage space account.
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 1
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, cover
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`METHOD FOR NETWORK-BASED STORAGE SITE SERVICES
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention relates to the field of network-based storage
`spaces having client accounts, and methods for downloading client-selected files from
`remote sites into the client accounts.
`
`5
`
`BACKGROUND ART
`
`Internet-based storage space sites provide clients with storage space
`accounts typically ranging from ten megabytes minimum to hundreds of gigabytes.
`These storage space accounts offer several conveniences for the clients. For
`example, clients may expand the data storage capacities of their individual computers
`and network file servers without investing in additional hardware. As the clients
`storage capacity needs grow, additional storage space can usually be leased as
`In another example, responsibility for
`necessary to meet the growing needs.
`maintenance and backup tasks for the storage space accounts may be handled by the
`storage site managers. This frees the client from the time, manpower and equipment
`required to perform these tasks. In yet another example, some storage space vendors
`provide software for use on the client's computer that makes the on-line storage
`space account appear as another hard drive attached to the client's computer. This
`results in a storage space account that is simple to understand and use.
`
`Once the client has uploaded files to their storage space account, those
`files are available to the client from anywhere on the Internet. This is an extremely
`useful capability for clients who require access to these files while on travel away
`from their home location. Traditionally, files required during travel are either loaded
`into the hard drive of a laptop computer or loaded into removable media, such as a
`floppy disk, before departing from the home location. Whether the client is a student
`going to a local library to work on a report, or a businessman traveling cross-
`country, all of the required files have to be available and carried by the client. Using
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`-1-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 2
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 1
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`Internet-based storage space, the client can travel without the files and then download
`them once they reach their destination.
`
`Clients may also use their storage space accounts to store files that
`
`they obtain from other sources, including downloads from other web sites on the
`
`Internet. To store a file from a remote web site, most clients must perform a two-
`step process. First, the client must download the desired file from the remote web
`site to his own computer. Second, the desired file is then uploaded from the client's
`computer to the storage space account. This approach requires the desired files to
`be transferred across the client's Internet connection twice (once during the download
`and once during the subsequent upload). It also requires the client's computer to
`have sufficient local storage capacity to buffer the desired file as it is being
`
`downloaded.
`
`The download-buffer-upload process can be a problem for many
`portable devices such as laptop computers, personal electronic assistants, palmtop
`devices, enhanced cellular phone and other similar devices that can be connected to
`the Internet. Some of these portable devices, such as enhanced cellular phones, lack
`sufficient memory to buffer large files during the download portion of the process.
`New technology such as micro-drives make it possible to increase the memory
`capacity, but such solutions tend not to be economically viable. More memory
`translates into an increased cost to own, and an increased power drain on the
`batteries of the portable devices. Furthermore, those portable devices that have
`sufficient buffering capacity often have limited bandwidth interfaces to the Internet.
`Downloading and then uploading large files can take a significant amount of time.
`
`Several Internet-based storage space vendors offer services that allow
`the client to bypass downloading and buffering the files in the client's computer.
`These services allow the remote web site to download a client-selected file directly
`into the client's storage space account. Speed of the direct download is limited not
`by the client's Internet connection, but by the remote web site's ability to transmit
`the files. The maximum size of the downloaded file is limited by the free space
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`-2-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 3
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 2
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`available in the client's account instead of the free space available on the client's
`computer.
`
`There are, however, two drawbacks to these services. First, the
`remote web site must incorporate a script into their web pages to support proprietary
`protocols necessary to implement the direct download into the client's account. If
`the remote web site does not implement these scripts, then the direct download
`cannot be performed. Here, the client must resort to downloading the files to his
`own computer first and then uploading them into his account. Second, the client
`must provide the remote web site with key account information. The remote web site
`
`needs to know the Internet address of the storage space site to which it is sending the
`file, and an account number into which the files are being stored. The client must
`also provide the remote web site with authentication information that grants the
`remote web site permission to download into the client's account. This
`authentication information is required by the storage space site to prevent
`unauthorized downloads. Clients concerned about the security of their accounts must
`decide if the remote web site can be trusted with the client's authentication
`
`information.
`
`What is desired is a method for operating the storage space account
`that eliminates the two drawbacks of the present services. Clients should be able to
`download files into his account from any remote web site, not just those
`implementing the proprietary protocol scripts. Clients should also be able to
`safeguard their accounts by keeping authentication information away from the remote
`web sites. All that the remote web site requires is the Internet address where the
`files are to be sent, and which protocol to use in sending the files.
`
`DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
`
`The present invention is a method and information storage media
`
`recording computer programs for downloading files across a network from a remote
`site into a client's account within a storage site. A client operating from a user site
`on the network selects the files to be downloaded. The client initiates the download
`
`-3-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 4
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 3
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`by sending a data request from the user site to the remote site. File locations for
`each file to be downloaded are identified in the data request. Upon reception of the
`data request, the storage site sends a download request to the remote site identifying
`the selected files. The remote site responds by sending the files to the storage site.
`Downloaded files received at the storage site are then stored in the client's account.
`A notification may be sent by the storage site to the client once the downloaded files
`have been transferred to the storage site.
`
`Identification of the files for downloading can be accomplished by
`least two methods. First, the client sends a request to the remote site to inquire about
`available downloadable files. The remote site responds by sending a file list having
`the address locations of the available downloadable files. Selection of the files to be
`downloaded can be made from the file list. As the files are selected, their respective
`file locations are copied into the data request. In the second method, the client enters
`the file locations manually at the user site using a keyboard or other input device.
`
`Security for the client's account may be provided by authenticating the
`data requests at the storage site. This may be accomplished by sending an identifier,
`for example a user identification and password, contemporaneously with each data
`request. If the identifier is authentic, then the data request is accepted.
`If the
`identifier fails authentication, then the data request is rejected. In an alternative
`embodiment, authentication may take place once when the client performs a login to
`the account. Here, the identifier is sent only once when the client logs in. Until the
`client has successfully logged in, the storage site rejects all data requests destined for
`the client's account. An advantage of these methods is that authentication data is
`provided only to the storage site, and not to the remote sites.
`
`Downloading of the selected files from the storage site to the client's
`user site may take place any time after the selected files have been downloaded to the
`storage site. First, the client sends a download request identifying the desired files
`to the storage site. The storage site responds by transferring the identified files to
`the user site.
`
`-4-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 5
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 4
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`method and
`
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
`information storage media recording computer programs for
`downloading files from a network-based remote site into a client's account in a
`network-based storage site, wherein the files are identified from a user site, the
`identities are forwarded to the storage site, and the storage site requests the identified
`files from the remote site.
`
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and
`
`information storage medium recording a computer program for operating the storage
`site to act as an agent on behalf of the client to request, receive and store files
`downloaded from the remote site into the client's account.
`
`Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and
`
`another information recording medium recording another computer program for
`operating the user site to allow the client to identify the desired files to be
`downloaded into the client's account, and forward the identity of the desired files to
`the storage site.
`
`These and other objects, features and advantages will be readily
`
`apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with
`
`the accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
`
`20
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a grouping of top level functions
`used in the present invention;
`
`FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for identifying files stored in a
`
`remote site that are available for download;
`
`FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for selecting and downloading
`files from the remote site to a storage site;
`
`25
`
`-5-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 6
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 5
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for notifying the client when the
`download is complete;
`
`FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for logging into a storage space
`
`account at the storage site;
`
`5
`
`FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for rejecting download requests
`
`made prior to logging in; and
`
`FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for downloading files from the
`
`storage site to the user site.
`
`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
`
`10
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a grouping of top level functions
`
`used in the present invention. The following description is based upon implementing
`
`the present invention on the Internet 100 using Internet protocols. Other types of
`
`networks, protocols, and groups of interconnected networks may also be used in lieu
`of, and in addition to the Internet 100. An Internet Architecture Board (IAB) defines
`
`15
`
`the Internet standards referenced below in Standard protocols (STD) and Request For
`
`Comments (RFC) documents.
`
`Remote site 110 is a web site on the Internet 100 having one or more
`
`files 112 that are available for downloading. Files 112 may contain variety of
`information such as text, graphics, images, video, audio, databases and the like. The
`files 112 generally range in size from as small as a few bytes to greater than one
`gigabyte. Each file 112 may be a self-contained item, or part of larger collection of
`
`20
`
`files 112.
`
`Files 112 are stored at the remote site 110 in a storage medium 114.
`
`Storage medium 114 is usually, although not necessarily one or more magnetic hard
`
`25
`
`drives.
`
`In simple remote sites 110, the storage medium 114 may be a single
`
`magnetic hard drive having several gigabytes of capacity. In complicated remote
`
`-6-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 7
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 6
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`sites 110, the storage medium 114 may be several clusters or arrays of storage
`devices configured for various speed, reliability, fault tolerance, and cost
`considerations. Here, storage capacities can reach into the terabytes. Other types
`of storage media 114 may be used including magnetic tape, optical tape, optical
`disks, and solid state memory devices. These other types of media provide different
`tradeoffs in access speed, storage life, number of write cycles, number of read
`
`cycles, and cost.
`
`File lists 116 are also stored on the remote site's storage medium 114.
`File lists 116 provide information used externally to the remote site 110 to identify
`each file 112, usually by a file name and by a file location. In Internet terminology,
`file identification is provided by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)(IAB proposed
`standard protocol RFC 1738) that defines the Internet protocol scheme, a host name
`
`of the remote site 110, a file path from a root directory within the remote site 110,
`the file name with an extension type. The URL's that collectively form the file lists
`116 are typically, although not always, presented externally to the remote site 110
`as web pages or directories.
`
`A web server 118 is provided at the remote site 110 to interface the
`
`storage medium 114 to the Internet 100. Web server 118 provides functionality to
`output the web pages and directories (file lists 116), the files 112, and other forms
`of information onto the Internet 100, as well as receive other files, commands,
`requests, messages, data and various other forms of information from the Internet
`100. The web server 118 responds to the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)(IAB
`information protocol RFC 1945) and the File Transfer Protocol (FTP)(IAB standard
`protocol STD 9) to download the files 112 to another Internet site that issued the
`
`25
`
`HTTP or FTP message.
`
`A client 120 accesses the remote site 110 through a user site 130.
`User site 130 may be a personal computer, workstation, laptop computer, server,
`palmtop device, enhanced cellular telephone, or any other machine capable of digital
`network communications. The user site 130 includes input devices 132 and output
`devices 134 for accepting and providing information from and to the client 120
`
`30
`
`-7-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 8
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 7
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`respectively. Common input devices 132 include, but are not limited to keyboards,
`keypads, mouses, touch screens, touch pads, joy sticks, and microphones. Most
`output devices 134 are displays, although other types of output devices such as audio
`speakers may also be provided.
`
`5
`
`A browser 136 links the input devices 132 and output devices 134 to
`the Internet 100. Browser 136 may be a commercially available software package
`such as Internet Explorer available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA and
`Netscape Communicator available from Netscape Communications Corporation,
`
`Mountain View, CA. Other items that support the Internet protocols may be used
`within the scope of the present invention.
`
`10
`
`The client 120 also accesses a storage site 140 via the Internet 100
`from the user site 130. Storage site 140 provides multiple storage space accounts
`142 for multiple clients 120 that are accessible from anywhere on the Internet 100.
`FIG. 1 only shows one user site 130 for the purposes of describing the present
`invention. In practice, the client 120 may access his storage space account 120 from
`multiple other user site (not shown) connected to the Internet 100.
`
`The storage space accounts 142 are implemented on a storage medium
`144. The storage site's storage medium 144, like the remote site's storage medium
`114, usually comprises magnetic hard drives operating standalone, in clusters, or in
`arrays. The storage site's storage medium 144 may also include Other media types
`such as magnetic tape, optical tape, optical disks, and solid state memory devices.
`Magnetic media, though, is preferred for primary storage of the storage space
`accounts 142 due to a large number of read and write cycles commonly performed
`by the client 120. Write-once-read-many type media is normally used only in
`archival situations where the client 120 has determined that the information must be
`
`available for extended periods.
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`An account manager 146 is provided in the storage site 140 to manage
`access to the storage space accounts 142. The account manager 146 protects the
`storage space accounts 142 by implementing password protection. To log into the
`
`-8-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 9
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 8
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`client's storage space account 142, the client 120 must provide the account manager
`146 is a user identification and a password. Account manager 146 authenticates the
`user identification and password against registered user identifications and their
`respective passwords. When authentication is successful, the account manager 146
`unlocks the client's storage space account 142. After the client logs out, the account
`manager 146 locks the client's storage space account.
`
`Login data is normally transferred between the user site 130 and the
`
`account manager 146 through the user site's browser 136 and a web server 148
`operating in the storage site 140. Like the remote site's web server 118, the storage
`site's web server 148 provides web pages, directories, and other information to aid
`the client 120 in communicating with the account manager 146. The storage site's
`web server 148 is also capable of communicating with, and downloading files to and
`from other Internet sites, including the remote site's web server 118.
`
`In the preferred embodiment, a pair of software application packages
`are provided to make the storage space account 142 appear as a mounted drive to the
`user site 130 and client 120. A storage site software application 150 is hosted in the
`storage site 140 and a user site software application 152 is hosted in each user site
`130. These software applications 150 and 152 provided functionality not normally
`found in the storage site's web server 148 and the user site's browser 136.
`In
`alternative embodiments, the functionality of the storage site software application 150
`may be implemented as part of the storage site's web server 148 or the account
`manager 146. Likewise, the functionality of the user site software application 152
`may be implemented as part of the browser 136. The storage site software
`application 150 and the user site software application 152 may be provided to the
`storage site 140 and the user site 130 respectively as computer programs recorded
`on information storage media 151 and 153 such as magnetic disk, magnetic tape,
`optical disk, non-volatile memory, or other similar information storage media, or
`downloaded over a network or the Internet. The computer programs are read from
`the information storage media 151 and 153 and executed by the storage site 140 and
`the user site 130 respectively.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`-9-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 10
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 9
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`The storage site software application 150 and the user site software
`application 152 communicate directly to each other via the Internet 100. The storage
`site software application 150 communicates with the account manager 146 to send
`and receive files from the client's storage space account 142. The user site software
`application 152 communicates with the operating system (not shown) of the user site
`130 to emulate a hard drive. Preferably, user site software application 152 operates
`independently of browser 136 to provide the hard drive emulation while the browser
`136 is not executing.
`
`In most situations, the user site 130 does not have a direct connection
`to the Internet 100. Typically, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 160 is situated
`between the user site 130 and the Internet 100. Communications between the user
`site 130 and the ISP 160 may be via a modem, cable modem, digital subscriber line,
`local area network, wide area network, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
`line, TI line, phone cell, and similar communications circuits. Bandwidth between
`
`the user site 130 and ISP 160 range from around 300 baud at the low end to 56
`kilobits per second in residential settings (modems), and up to approximately one
`gigabit per second at the high end in commercial environments (Fibre Channel).
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for determining what files 112
`
`are available in the remote site 110 for downloading. The method begins when the
`user site 130 generates a file list request asking the remote site 110 for a web page
`
`20
`
`containing the file list 116, as shown in block 200. User site 130 then initiates a
`
`transfer of the file list request by sending the file list request to the remote site 110,
`
`as shown in block 202. The remote site 110 completes the transfer upon reception
`of the file list, as shown in block 204. The remote site 110 responds to the file list
`request by sending the web page requested, as shown in block 206. User site 130
`receives the web page from the remote site 110, as shown in block 208, then displays
`
`the web page through an output device 134 to the client 120, as shown in block 210.
`From the display, the client 120 can see all of the files 112 identified by the file list
`
`116 embedded within that particular web page. This particular file list 116 may
`identify some or all of the files 112 stored in the remote site 110. Where the number
`of files 112 is large or the files 112 are grouped by type, the web page may contain
`
`25
`
`30
`
`-10-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 11
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 10
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`links to other web pages containing other file lists 116 identifying other groups of
`files 112. For example, one web page may identify only picture type files 112 while
`a second web page identifies only video type files 112.
`
`The client 120 now selects files 112 for downloading. Referring to
`FIG. 3, selection may be accomplished using an input device 132, such as a mouse,
`to graphically choose one or more files from the displayed web page, as shown in
`block 300. Additionally, the client 120 may enter the URL's of selected files
`through a keyboard type input device, as shown in block 302. When the client 120
`has finished selecting files 112, he informs the user site 130 by pressing an "Enter"
`key on the keyboard, or selecting a "Save" option included in the web page, as
`
`shown in block 304.
`
`In the preferred embodiment, the client 120 selects one file 112 at a
`time by moving a cursor over the desired file 112 using a mouse, as shown in block
`300. The client 120 then presses a right button on the mouse causing a pop-up
`window to appear on the display adjacent to the cursor. From the pop-up window,
`the client 120 selects a command titled "Save to Soft-Drive" with a left button on the
`mouse, as shown in block 304. User site software application 152 is operational to
`
`accept the URL of the selected file 112 from the browser 136 through the operating
`
`system.
`
`The user site software application 152 uses the URL's to generate a
`data request, as shown in block 305. The data request is then sent across the Internet
`100 to the storage site software application 150, as shown in block 306. Each data
`request contains the URL's of the selected files 112. An identifier may be included
`within each data request or sent contemporaneously with the data request in another
`message. The identifier typically, although not necessarily, contains the user
`identification and password required by the account manager 146 to authenticate
`access to the client's storage space account 142. In alternative embodiments, the
`identifier may contain other information such as a random private key given to the
`user site 130 by the storage site 140 after an earlier successful login.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`-11-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 12
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 11
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`Typically the user identification, password and any other identifier
`
`information required for authentication are entered by the client 120 from a keyboard
`type input device 132. Alternative methods of entering the identifier information
`may be used. For example, identifier information may be stored on a smart card or
`an employee badge that is entered through a magnetic strip reader type input device.
`In another example, the identifier information may be stored on a media cartridge
`that is inserted and read by a media read/write drive type input device. In general,
`any portable security key-like device may be used to store and enter the identifier
`information into the user site 130.
`
`The data request is received by the storage site software application
`150, as shown in block 308, completing transfer of the data request from the user site
`130 to the storage site 140. Storage site software application 150 forwards the
`identifier to the account manager 146 for authentication, as shown by decision block
`310. If the authentication fails, the FAIL branch of decision block 310, then an error
`message is generated by the account manager 146 and sent back to the user site 130
`via either the web server 148 or the storage site software application 150, as shown
`in block 312. Authentication failure also results in a rejection of the data request by
`the storage site 140, as shown in block 314.
`
`At the user site 130, the error message is received, block 316, and
`then displayed to the client 120, as shown in block 318. The error message may
`provide for self-removal from the display after a period of time and/or removal upon
`selection of an "OK" button by the client 120.
`
`Where the data request passes authentication, as shown by the PASS
`branch of decision block 310, then the URL's within the data request are used to
`generate a download request, as shown in block 319. The download request is then
`provided to the storage site's web server 148. Web server 148 sends the data request
`to the remote site 110, as shown in block 320. Remote site 110 receives the
`download request, block 322, and responds by downloading the files 112 identified
`by the URL's to the storage site 140, as shown in block 324. Storage site 140
`
`-12-
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 13
`
`Adobe - Exhibit 1008, page 12
`
`

`

`WO 01/67233
`
`PCT/US01/06756
`
`receives the downloaded files 122, as shown block 326, and then stores them into the
`client's storage space account 142, as shown in block 328.
`
`One advantage of this approach is that the remote site 110 is never
`aware of the client's storage space account 142, the client's user identification, or the
`client's password. From a remote site 110 point-of-view, only the storage site 140
`is involved in downloading the files 112. Another advantage of this approach is that
`the remote site 110 responds to the download request from the storage site 140 as it
`would to any other download request from any other site. There is no need for the
`remote site 110 to perform any special processing or communications during the
`download into the client's storage space account 142.
`
`In many situations the remote site's web server 118 will respond to
`the download request from the storage site's web server 148 unconditionally.
`However, there may be cases where the remote site's web server 118 requires
`additional information before responding to the download request. For example, the
`remote site's web server 118 may require a user identification and password before
`sending the requested files. In another example, the remote site's web server 118
`may require the storage site's web server 148 to accept cookies as part of the
`download process. At least three approaches may be taken to account for these
`In one approach, a remote site user identification and remote site
`situations.
`password may be required from the user site 130 as part of the data request to the
`storage site 140. The storage site 140 then copies the remote site user identification
`and remote site password into the download request sent to the remote site 110. In
`a second approach, the storage site 140 has its own remote site user identification and
`remote site password independent of the client 120. Upon receipt of the data request
`from the user site 130, the remote site 140 includes its own remote site user
`identification and remote site password into the download request sent to the remote
`site 110. In a third approach, the storage site 140 has an ability to automatically
`open a new account with the remote site 110 and registers itself as a new remote site
`user. Upon successfu