초록 ▼

A communication protocol for establishing real-time, point-to-point communications between computer users over a computer network includes a directory server apparatus for providing the current dynamically assigned Internet Protocol addresses of client processes currently connected to the computer n

A communication protocol for establishing real-time, point-to-point communications between computer users over a computer network includes a directory server apparatus for providing the current dynamically assigned Internet Protocol addresses of client processes currently connected to the computer network. The server maintains a list of entries, each entry including the Internet Protocol address of a user currently connected to the network. In response to identification of one of the entries by a requesting client process, the server provides the corresponding Internet Protocol address of the entry to the requesting client process. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the directory server monitors the status of client processes connected to the network via periodic notification from the client processes. The server dynamically modifies the time interval at which client processes notify the server, depending on the demand for server resources.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] In a server process capable of responding to requests from one or more client processes operatively coupled to the server process over a computer network, a method of monitoring the status of a client process, comprising the steps of:A. receiving notification from a clien

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] In a server process capable of responding to requests from one or more client processes operatively coupled to the server process over a computer network, a method of monitoring the status of a client process, comprising the steps of:A. receiving notification from a client process that the client process is active;B. determining that the client process is inactive if a subsequent notification from the client process is not received within a predetermined time interval;C. monitoring a number of requests from a plurality of active client processes coupled to the server over the computer network; andD. increasing the predetermined time interval if the number of requests from the plurality of active client processes at least equals a predetermined threshold.