Optimizing server delivery of content by selective inclusion of optional data based on optimization criteria

• US 7,127,493 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silver Maple, Series 86 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Mount Hamilton Partners, LLC (Innovation Management Sciences, LLC)
• Inventors: Gautier, Taylor S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/312,586
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/500.1, 715/526, 709201-203, 709/246, 709217-219, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

Optimization constraints are used to select an appropriate content item from an available group of content items which are ordered in a specific manner to facilitate the proper selection of the content item, even if the exact item desired is not present. The server is then able to insert the selected content item into the outgoing content page requested by the client. The optimization constraints can be, but are not limited to, any one of the following: communication channel performance (bandwidth), client operating system, client processor, client display capabilities, client installed software (video or audio codecs for example), and/or user preferences. A software product and method enable selective delivery of content to client devices of varying performance characteristics, including varying bandwidth, by selective filtering and inclusion of markup language content using tags demarcating optional content. The optional content may include a number of alternate items of content. An optimization constraint is used to select one of the items. The server includes the selected item in an item of content requested by a client device. The optimization constraints are associated with varying levels of client/communication channel performance.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing the delivery of content data from a web server to a client device, said method comprising:

storing a plurality of files, at least one of said files containing non-optional content data and at least another one of said files containing optional content data, said optional content data including a plurality of optional content items, said plurality of content items ordered with respect to a highest and lowest performance characteristic of client devices;

receiving a request for content data from a client device, the content data contained in said at least one of said files;

determining a highest performance characteristic of the client device;

automatically selecting the non-optional content data, and automatically selecting at least one of said plurality of optional content items which corresponds to, the determined highest performance characteristic of the client device; and

transmitting the selected non-optional content data and the selected optional content item to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein optimization constraints are assigned to classes of client devices, and wherein each class of client device has different performance characteristics, further comprising:

determining a class of client device to which the client device belongs based on the determined performance characteristics of the client device; and

assigning the client device one of said optimization constraints based on the determined class of client device to which the client device belongs; and

wherein the plurality of content items are ordered with respect to the optimization constraints, and the step of selecting comprises selecting a content item whose order corresponds to the said one of said optimization constraints.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

responsive to said one of said optimization constraints specifying a class of device having a lowest performance characteristic, selecting a content item requiring a least amount of bandwidth to be transmitted.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

responsive to said one of said optimization constraints specifying a class of device having a lowest performance characteristic, selecting a content item comprising a least amount of data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein optimization constraints are associated with each content item, and the optimization constraints index classes of client devices, wherein each class of client device has different performance characteristics, further comprising:

assigning the client device an optimization constraint, said assignment based on the performance characteristics of the client device; and

said step of selecting comprising selecting a content item, said selection based on the assigned optimization constraint.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning an optimization constraint based on the performance characteristics of the client device further comprises:

determining a connection type in use by the client device; and

associating with the client device an optimization constraint the associating based on the connection type of the client device.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning an optimization constraint based on the performance characteristics of the client device further comprises:

determining a processor type in use by the client device; and

the step of associating an optimization constraint further comprises associating an optimization constraint, the association based on the processor type in use by the client device.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning an optimization constraint based on the performance characteristics of the client device further comprises:

determining an amount of memory in use by the client device; and

the step of associating an optimization constraint further comprises associating an optimization constraint the associating based on the amount of memory in use by the client device.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning an optimization constraint based on the performance characteristics of the client device further comprises:

determining a display type in use by the client device; and

the step of associating an optimization constraint further comprises associating an optimization constraint, the associating based on the display type in use by the client device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the client device performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of client device operating system, connection type, processor type, amount of memory, user preferences, display size, and software installed.

11. A method of delivering a web page comprising:

storing a plurality of web pages, at least one of said web pages containing non-optional content data and a plurality of files, at least one of said files containing optional content data, said optional content data including a plurality of optional content items, said plurality of content items ordered with respect to a highest and lowest performance characteristic of client devices;

receiving a request for transmission of at least said one of said web pages from a remote device;

determining at least one a highest performance characteristic of the remote device;

automatically selecting for transmission said web page containing non-optional content data and one of said plurality of optional content items which corresponds to, the determined at least one highest performance characteristic of the remote device; and

transmitting said one of said web pages, including the non-optional content data and the selected portion of optional content data to the remote device;

wherein said non-optional content data and said selected portion of optional content data taken together may represent the at least one web page requested by the remote device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, optimization constraints are assigned to classes of remote devices, and each class of remote device has different performance characteristics, further comprising:

determining a class of remote device to which the remote device belongs, said determining based on the determined performance characteristics of the remote device; and

assigning the remote device an optimization constraint, said assigning based on the determined class of remote device to which the remote device belongs;

wherein the step of selecting one of a plurality of optional content items comprises selecting a content item whose order corresponds to the optimization constraint.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of selecting a content item whose order corresponds to the optimization constraint comprises:

responsive to an optimization constraint specifying a class of device having a lowest performance characteristic, selecting a content item requiring a least amount of bandwidth to be transmitted.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of selecting a content item whose order corresponds to the optimization constraint comprises:

responsive to an optimization constraint specifying a class of device having a lowest performance characteristic, selecting a content item comprising a least amount of data.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein optimization constraints are associated with each content item, and the optimization constraints index classes of remote devices, wherein each class of remote device has different performance characteristics, further comprising:

assigning the remote device an optimization constraint, said assigning based on the performance characteristics of the remote device; and

the step of selecting comprising selecting a content item, said selecting based on the assigned optimization constraint.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein assigning an optimization constraint based on the performance characteristics of the remote device further comprises:

determining a connection type in use by the remote device; and

associating with the remote device an optimization constraint, said associating based on the connection type of the remote device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the client device performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of client device operating system, connection type, processor type, amount of memory, user preferences, display size, and software installed.

18. A computer-readable medium for use in a system having a web server for storing content data, and which is connected to a plurality of client devices, the computer-readable medium storing instructions which cause the server to:

store a plurality of files, at least one of said files containing non-optional content data and at least another one of said files containing optional content data, said optional content data including a plurality of optional content items, said plurality of content items ordered with respect to highest and lowest performance characteristics of client devices;

receive a request for content data from a client device, the content data contained in said at least one of said files;

determine a highest performance characteristic of the client device;

automatically select the non-optional content data, and automatically select at least one of said plurality of optional content items which corresponds to, the determined highest performance characteristic of the client device; and

transmit the selected non-optional content data and the selected optional content item to the client device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein optimization constraints are assigned to classes of client devices, wherein each class of client device has different performance characteristics, and wherein the stored instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a class of client device to which the client device belongs, said determination based on the performance characteristics of the client device;

assign the client device one of said optimization constraints, said assignment based on the determined class of client device to which the client device belongs; and

select one of the plurality of optional content items by selecting a content item corresponding to the optimization constraint.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein optimization constraints are associated with each content item, and the optimization constraints index classes of client devices, wherein each class of client device has different performance characteristics, and the stored instructions further cause the processor to:

assign the client device an optimization constraint, said assignment based on the determined performance characteristics of the client device; and

select a content item, said selection based on the assigned optimization constraint.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the stored instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a connection type in use by the client device; and

associate with the client device an optimization constraint, said association based on the connection type of the client device.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the client device performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of client device operating system, connection type, processor type, amount of memory, user preferences, display size, and software installed.