User engagement during large file uploads

• US 8,108,403 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gopalraj, Ramajeyam, Wendt, David Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Cheryl
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waldron, Scott A
• Application Number:
  US12/418,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20100257199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A content server receives metadata describing content that is to be uploaded from a client computer to the content server. A prediction is made as to how long it will take to upload and/or process the content. Based on this predication, an appropriate-length user engagement content is transmitted to the client computer for a user to view while the content is being uploaded and/or processed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of receiving an upload from a client computer, the computer-implemented method comprising:

executing instructions on a processor in a content server, wherein the instructions, when executed, perform a process comprising;

receiving client content metadata, wherein the client content metadata describes a size of a client content that is to be uploaded from a client computer to the content server, and wherein the client content metadata further describes a content type of the client content, wherein the content type is from a group consisting of a text document, a digital video clip, a digital photograph, and a digital audio file;

utilizing the client content metadata to determine a predicted upload time length for the client computer to upload the client content to the content server;

utilizing the content type of the client content as a first selection criterion for selecting a user engagement content;

determining a predicted processing time length for the content server to process the client content, wherein processing the client content comprises assigning tags and metadata to the client content and transforming the client content from one format into another;

selecting the user engagement content based on the content type of the client content, the predicted upload time length for the client computer to upload the client content to the content server, and the predicted processing time length for the content server to process the client content, wherein the user engagement content has a presentation time length that is equivalent to the predicted upload time length plus the predicted processing time length, and wherein the content type of the client content matches a content type of the user engagement content; and

transmitting the user engagement content from the content server to the client computer, wherein the user engagement content is displayed on the client computer while the client computer is uploading the client content to the content server.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a client computer'"'"'s specifications for the client computer, wherein parameters found within the client computer'"'"'s specifications comprise a data transfer rate of an Internet connection between the client computer and the content server, and a central processing unit (CPU) clock speed of the client computer;

utilizing the client computer'"'"'s specifications to determine a refined predicted upload time length for uploading the client content; and

utilizing the refined predicted upload time length as a second selection criterion for selecting the user engagement content.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predicted processing time length is determined using metric values from a metrics table, and wherein the metrics table comprises a historical record of the content server'"'"'s processing times for processing previously uploaded client contents.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that said uploading the client content to the content server is complete, stopping a display of the user engagement content.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the previously uploaded client contents were all uploaded from the client computer.

6. A computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises computer executable instructions that, when executed:

receive client content metadata, wherein the client content metadata describes a size of a client content that is to be uploaded from a client computer to the content server, and wherein the client content metadata further describes a content type of the client content, wherein the content type is from a group consisting of a text document, a digital video clip, a digital photograph, and a digital audio file;

utilize the client content metadata to determine a predicted upload time length for the client computer to upload the client content to the content server;

utilize the content type of the client content as a first selection criterion for selecting a user engagement content;

determine a predicted processing time length for the content server to process the client content, wherein processing the client content comprises assigning tags and metadata to the client content and transforming the client content from one format into another;

select the user engagement content based on the content type of the client content, the predicted upload time length for the client computer to upload the client content to the content server, and the predicted processing time length for the content server to process the client content, wherein the user engagement content has a presentation time length that is equivalent to the predicted upload time length plus the predicted processing time length, and wherein the content type of the client content matches a content type of the user engagement content; and

transmit the user engagement content from the content server to the client computer, wherein the user engagement content is displayed on the client computer while the client computer is uploading the client content to the content server.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed:

receive a client computer'"'"'s specifications for the client computer, wherein parameters found within the client computer'"'"'s specifications comprise a data transfer rate of an Internet connection between the client computer and the content server, and a central processing unit (CPU) clock speed of the client computer;

utilize the client computer'"'"'s specifications to determine a refined predicted upload time length for uploading the client content; and

utilize the refined predicted upload time length as a second selection criterion for selecting the user engagement content.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the computer executable instructions are downloaded to the computer readable storage medium from a software deploying server in an on-demand basis.

9. A system comprising:

first receiving hardware logic for receiving client content metadata, wherein the client content metadata describes a size of a client content that is to be uploaded from a client computer to the content server, and wherein the client content metadata further describes a content type of the client content, wherein the content type is from a group consisting of a text document, a digital video clip, a digital photograph, and a digital audio file;

first utilization hardware logic and determination hardware logic for;

utilizing the client content metadata to determine a predicted upload time length for the client computer to upload the client content to the content server;

utilizing the content type of the client content as a first selection criterion for selecting a user engagement content; and

determining a predicted processing time length for the content server to process the client content, wherein processing the client content comprises assigning tags and metadata to the client content and transforming the client content from one format into another;

selection hardware logic for selecting the user engagement content based on the content type of the client content, the predicted upload time length for the client computer to upload the client content to the content server, and the predicted processing time length for the content server to process the client content, wherein the user engagement content has a presentation time length that is equivalent to the predicted upload time length plus the predicted processing time length, and wherein the content type of the client content matches a content type of the user engagement content; and

transmission hardware logic for transmitting the user engagement content from the content server to the client computer, wherein the user engagement content is displayed on the client computer while the client computer is uploading the client content to the content server.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

second receiving hardware logic for receiving a client computer'"'"'s specifications for the client computer, wherein parameters found within the client computer'"'"'s specifications comprise a data transfer rate of an Internet connection between the client computer and the content server, and a central processing unit (CPU) clock speed of the client computer;

second utilization hardware logic for utilizing the client computer'"'"'s specifications to determine a refined predicted upload time length for uploading the client content; and

third utilization hardware logic for utilizing the refined predicted upload time length as a second selection criterion for selecting the first user engagement content.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the predicted processing time length is determined using metric values from a metrics table, and wherein the metrics table comprises a historical record of the content server'"'"'s processing times for processing previously uploaded client contents.