Efficient content delivery over wireless networks using guaranteed prefetching at selected times-of-day

• US 10,432,748 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tensera Networks Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tensera Networks Ltd.
• Inventors: Yellin, Daniel, Shalvi, Ofir, Ben Eli, David, Regev, Eilon, Moshavi, Shimon
• Primary Examiner(s): Springer, James E
• Application Number:
  US15/936,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20180219965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 709203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A method for content delivery includes selecting one or more time intervals. During each time interval among the selected time intervals, given content is prefetched from a content source to a communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval, and maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal. Outside of the one or more selected time intervals, the given content is prefetched using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.

Claims

1. A method for content delivery, comprising:

selecting one or more time intervals;

during each time interval among the selected time intervals, prefetching given content from a content source to a communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by;

continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval; and

maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal; and

outside of the one or more selected time intervals, prefetching the given content from the content source to the communication terminal using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises:

selecting one or more first time intervals for a first content item; and

selecting one or more second time intervals, different from the first time intervals, for a second content item different from the first content item.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises:

selecting one or more first time intervals when the communication terminal belongs to a first group of communication terminals; and

selecting one or more second time intervals, different from the first time intervals, when the communication terminal belongs to a second group of communication terminals different from the first group.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode continuously for a specified content item.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises:

assigning, to portions of the given content, respective visibility metrics that are indicative of one or more of (i) respective times and (ii) respective amounts of user actions, needed to make the portions of the given content visible to a user; and

selecting the time intervals based on the visibility metrics.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises choosing whether to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode or the best-effort prefetching mode to a portion of the given content, depending on a visibility metric assigned to the portion.

7. The method according to claim 5, and comprising setting a length of time during which a portion of the given content is prefetched using the guaranteed prefetching mode, depending on a visibility metric assigned to the portion.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is visible without scrolling when presented on the communication terminal, and applying the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that requires scrolling to be visible.

9. The method according to claim 1, and comprising:

for first content that is visible without scrolling when presented on the communication terminal, applying the guaranteed prefetching mode during first time intervals; and

for second content that requires scrolling to be visible, applying the guaranteed prefetching mode during second time intervals, shorter than the first time intervals.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is available on a landing page of an application, and applying the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that is not available on the landing page.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is accessible from a current display of the communication terminal, and applying the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that is not accessible from the current display.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises activating the guaranteed prefetching mode in response to an output of a sensor in the communication terminal.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises activating the guaranteed prefetching mode depending on one or more of:

a movement of the communication terminal;

a velocity of the communication terminal;

exposure of the communication terminal to light;

a screen-lock status of the communication terminal;

a battery level of the communication terminal;

a charging status of the communication terminal;

a quality of a network connection of the communication terminal; and

a type of the network connection.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is to be prefetched over a broadcast or multicast channel.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that changes at a rate that is lower than a predefined threshold, and applying the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that changes at a rate that is above the predefined threshold.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the time intervals comprises applying the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content having a level of security that is above a predefined threshold, and applying the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content having a level of security that is below the predefined threshold.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein prefetching the given content comprises delivering to the communication terminal one or more differential updates, relative to content that is already available in the communication terminal.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein continuously tracking the given content comprises executing, in a network-side node, an executable script that is found in the given content, and identifying and prefetching content accessed by the script.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein prefetching the given content comprises prefetching an executable script that is found in the given content, executing the prefetched script in advance in the communication terminal, and further prefetching content accessed by the script.

20. A content delivery system, comprising:

an interface for communicating with a content source and with a communication terminal of a user; and

one or more processors, which are configured to;

select one or more time intervals;

during each time interval among the selected time intervals, prefetch given content from the content source to the communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by;

continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval; and

maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal; and

outside of the one or more selected time intervals, prefetch the given content from the content source to the communication terminal using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to:

select one or more first time intervals for a first content item; and

select one or more second time intervals, different from the first time intervals, for a second content item different from the first content item.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to:

select one or more first time intervals when the communication terminal belongs to a first group of communication terminals; and

select one or more second time intervals, different from the first time intervals, when the communication terminal belongs to a second group of communication terminals different from the first group.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode continuously for a specified content item.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to:

assign, to portions of the given content, respective visibility metrics that are indicative of one or more of (i) respective times and (ii) respective amounts of user actions, needed to make the portions of the given content visible to a user; and

select the time intervals based on the visibility metrics.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the processors are configured to choose whether to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode or the best-effort prefetching mode to a portion of the given content, depending on a visibility metric assigned to the portion.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the processors are configured to set a length of time during which a portion of the given content is prefetched using the guaranteed prefetching mode, depending on a visibility metric assigned to the portion.

27. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is visible without scrolling when presented on the communication terminal, and to apply the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that requires scrolling to be visible.

28. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to:

for first content that is visible without scrolling when presented on the communication terminal, apply the guaranteed prefetching mode during first time intervals; and

for second content that requires scrolling to be visible, apply the guaranteed prefetching mode during second time intervals, shorter than the first time intervals.

29. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is available on a landing page of an application, and to apply the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that is not available on the landing page.

30. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is accessible from a current display of the communication terminal, and to apply the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that is not accessible from the current display.

31. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to activate the guaranteed prefetching mode in response to an output of a sensor in the communication terminal.

32. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to activate the guaranteed prefetching mode depending on one or more of:

a movement of the communication terminal;

a velocity of the communication terminal;

exposure of the communication terminal to light;

a screen-lock status of the communication terminal;

a battery level of the communication terminal;

a charging status of the communication terminal;

a quality of a network connection of the communication terminal; and

a type of the network connection.

33. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that is to be prefetched over a broadcast or multicast channel.

34. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content that changes at a rate that is lower than a predefined threshold, and to apply the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content that changes at a rate that is above the predefined threshold.

35. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to apply the guaranteed prefetching mode for prefetching a portion of the given content having a level of security that is above a predefined threshold, and to apply the best-effort prefetching mode for prefetching a part of the given content having a level of security that is below the predefined threshold.

36. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to prefetch the given content by delivering to the communication terminal one or more differential updates, relative to content that is already available in the communication terminal.

37. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to execute, in a network-side node, an executable script that is found in the given content, and to identify and prefetching content accessed by the script.

38. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processors are configured to prefetch the given content by prefetching an executable script that is found in the given content, executing the prefetched script in advance in the communication terminal, and further prefetching content accessed by the script.

39. A computer software product, the product comprising a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by one or more processors of a content delivery system that communicates with a content source and a communication terminal of a user, cause the one or more processors to:

select one or more time intervals;

during each time interval among the selected time intervals, prefetch given content from the content source to the communication terminal using a guaranteed prefetching mode, by;

continuously tracking the given content on the content source, so as to detect changes to the given content as they occur during the selected time interval; and

maintaining the communication terminal continuously synchronized with the content source with respect to the given content, throughout the selected time interval, notwithstanding the changes that occur during the selected time interval, by continuously prefetching at least part of the given content from the content source to the communication terminal; and

outside of the one or more selected time intervals, prefetch the given content from the content source to the communication terminal using a best-effort prefetching mode, by tracking the given content less frequently than the guaranteed prefetching mode.