Dynamic variation of content-download depending on foreground or background nature of download

• US 7,756,946 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hunter, Kevin E., Roka, Pujan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Philip B
• Application Number:
  US11/433,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-224, 709/203, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A method is disclosed for dynamically varying a content download depending on whether the download is a foreground-download or a background-download. When a server receives a content-request from a device, the server determines whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated and accordingly selects a set of content to transmit in response to the device. If the content-request is background-generated, for instance, the server may select a smaller quantity of content, since the device user might not be actively involved with the download. On the other hand, if the content-request is foreground-generated, the server may select a larger quantity of content, since the user is involved at the time. Alternatively, the device itself may select a location from which to request content, based on whether the download is a foreground-download or a background-download.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving into a network entity a content-request transmitted over a network from a communication device, the content-request seeking particular content;

making a determination at the network entity whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated;

if the determination is that the content-request is background-generated, then transmitting a first quantity of the particular content in response to the communication device; and

if the determination is that the content-request is foreground-generated, then transmitting a second quantity of the particular content in response to the communication device, the second quantity being greater than the first quantity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second quantity of the particular content includes the first quantity of the particular content plus additional content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a cellular wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the cellular wireless communication device is programmed with a channel-presentation program, and wherein the particular content comprises channel-content for presentation by the channel-presentation program.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the content-request comprises an HTTP request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein making the determination whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated comprises reading from the HTTP request an indication of whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated.

7. A method comprising:

receiving into a network entity a content-request transmitted over a network from a communication device to the network entity, the content-request carrying an indication of whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated; and

using the indication as a basis to select a set of content to transmit in response from the network entity to the communication device,

wherein the content-request requests particular content, and wherein using the indication as a basis to select the set of content to transmit in response from the network entity to the communication device comprises (i) if the indication is that the content-request is background-generated, then selecting as the set of content a first quantity of the particular content and (ii) if the indication is that the content-request is foreground-generated, then selecting as the set of content a second quantity of the particular content, wherein the second quantity is greater than the first quantity.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the selected set of content in response to the communication device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein

the second quantity of the particular content includes the first quantity of the particular content and additional content.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication device comprises a cellular wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cellular wireless communication device is programmed with a content-presentation application, and wherein the set of content comprises channel-content for presentation by the content-presentation application.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating the content-request, including the indication, at the communication device; and

transmitting the generated content-request over the network from the communication device to the network entity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the content-request, including the indication, comprises:

if the content-request is generated in response to a current request by a user, then generating the content-request including as the indication an indication that the content-request is foreground-generated; and

if the content-request is generated automatically by the communication device, rather than in response to a current request by a user, then generating the content request including as the indication an indication that the content-request is background-generated.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the content-request, including the indication, comprises:

if the content-request is generated in response to a current request by a user to receive a more full version of previously received content, then generating the content-request including as the indication an indication that the content-request is foreground downloaded; and

if the content-request is generated automatically by the communication device pursuant to a predefined schedule, then generating the content-request including as the indication an indication that the content-request is background-generated.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the content-request, including the indication, comprises:

if the communication device receives a content-notification message, responsively presents a prompt for user-approval of content-downloading, receives the user-approval, and responsively generates the content-request, then including as the indication an indication that the content-request is foreground-generated; and

if the communication device automatically generates the content-request without current user input, then including as the indication an indication that the content-request is background-generated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication device comprises a cellular wireless communication device, and wherein the content-notification message is sent via Short Messaging Service (SMS) messaging.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the content-request comprises an HTTP request directed to a URL.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the HTTP request carries the indication as a parameter selected from the group consisting of (i) a URL query parameter and (ii) an HTTP header parameter.

19. A method comprising:

a communication device making a determination of whether a download to be requested by the communication device is a foreground-download or a background-download;

if the determination is that the download is a foreground-download, then the communication device requesting the download from a first location; and

if the determination is that the download is a background-download, then the communication device requesting the download from a second location different than the first location.