System and method of accessing a document efficiently through multi-tier web caching

• US 8,224,964 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Feng, Hanping, Harik, Georges, Fredrickson, Eric Russell, Kataru, Naga Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Mirza, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US10/882,796
• Time in Patent Office: 2,939 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 711/133
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

A client-server network system implements a multi-tier caching strategy for a user to access a document efficiently. When serving a document to client, the document is examined for embedded references to other documents. The embedded references are extracted and then assigned a priority. The documents referenced are obtained locally from the server cache or obtained from their respective web hosts and transmitted according to the assigned priority. If the client determines that it has the document, the transmission of is terminated. If the client or server determines that a newly requested document is one of the referenced documents being transmitted, the transmission is given a higher priority. In some instances, the server calculates a content difference between a current version of a referenced and a previous version and transmits this content.

Claims

1. A method of providing a document to a client, comprising:

at a server that is distinct from the client and having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

providing the document to the client;

identifying a plurality of referenced documents referenced by the document;

assigning respective priorities to at least some of the plurality of referenced documents; and

after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide a respective referenced document of the plurality of referenced documents, performing a preload operation including providing the respective referenced document of the plurality of referenced documents, according to its respective priority, to the client, the preload operation including providing to the client a respective content fingerprint of the respective referenced document that is being provided to the client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying a respective priority of one of the referenced documents based on satisfying a predetermined condition.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising satisfying the predetermined condition based on a communication received from the client to increase the respective priority.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising satisfying the predetermined condition based on a communication received from the client including a request for the respective referenced document.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating the providing of one of the referenced documents to the client based on a communication received from the client.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a respective priority according to a location of the respective referenced document in the document content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning each of the respective priorities according to an order of presentation of the respective referenced document in the document content.

8. A method of serving a document, comprising:

at a server that is distinct from a client and having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

serving the document to the client;

identifying in the document a reference to a referenced document; and

after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide the referenced document, preloading content to the client, including serving to the client a first content fingerprint of the referenced document, a second content fingerprint representing a different version of the referenced document, and a content difference of the referenced document.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first content fingerprint of the referenced document represents a fresh version of the referenced document, the second content fingerprint of the referenced document represents an earlier version of the referenced document, and the content difference represents a difference between the fresh version of the referenced document and the earlier version of the referenced document.

10. A method of serving a document, comprising:

at a server that is distinct from the client and having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

serving a document content of the document to the client;

identifying in the document content a reference to a referenced document;

after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide the referenced document, obtaining a fresh version of the referenced document;

generating a content difference between the fresh version of the referenced document and an earlier version of the referenced document;

generating a content fingerprint of the fresh version of the referenced document; and

serving to the client, in response to a document request, the content difference and a content fingerprint of the earlier version of the referenced document.

11. A method of serving a document, comprising:

at a server that is distinct from the client and having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

serving the document to the client;

determining a set of referenced documents referenced in the document, the set being less than all the referenced documents referenced in the document;

assigning a respective priority to each of the set of-referenced documents; and

after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide a respective referenced document of the set of referenced documents, performing a preload operation including providing each of the set of referenced documents to the client according to its respective priority.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the document is a document generated in response to a search request and the set represents one or more results of the search request.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising assigning the respective priority according to a ranking associated with a respective result.

14. A method of requesting documents, comprising:

at a client remote from a server and having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

sending a request for a first document to the server;

receiving a first response including the first document;

after sending the request for the first document to the server and before requesting a second document referenced in the first document, receiving a second response, corresponding to a preload operation by the server, the second response including a content fingerprint based on a second document content of a second document referenced in the first document;

identifying whether the content fingerprint is resident in the client; and

sending a communication to the server indicating that the second response should be terminated.

15. A system for serving a document to a client, comprising:

a document server including;

one or more processing units for executing programs;

memory storing one or more programs be executed by the one or more central processing units;

the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

transmitting the document to the client;

identifying a plurality of referenced documents referenced by the document; and

assigning respective priorities to least some of the plurality of referenced documents;

wherein the document server is configurable to perform a preload operation including, after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide a respective referenced document of the plurality of referenced documents, providing the respective document of the plurality of referenced documents, according to its respective priority, to the client, the preload operation including providing to the client a respective content fingerprint of the respective referenced document that is being provided to the client.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to modify a respective priority of one of the referenced documents based on a satisfied predetermined condition.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the satisfied predetermined condition occurs when a communication received from the client requests an increase the respective priority.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the satisfied predetermined condition occurs when a communication received from the client includes a request for the respective referenced document.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to terminate the providing of one of the referenced documents to the client based on a communication received from the client.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the prioritization unit is configurable to assign a respective priority according to a location of the respective referenced document in the document content.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the prioritization unit is configurable to assign each of the respective priorities according to an order of presentation of the respective referenced document in the document content.

22. A system for serving a document, comprising:

a document server unit including;

one or more processing units for executing programs;

memory storing one or more programs be executed by the one or more central processing units;

the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

providing the document to a client;

determining a set of referenced documents referenced in the document, the set being less than all the referenced documents referenced in the document;

assigning a respective priority to each of the set of referenced documents; and

wherein the document server is configurable to perform a preload operation including, after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide a respective referenced document of the set of referenced documents, providing each of the set of referenced documents to the client according to its respective priority.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the document is a document generated in response to a search request and the set represents one or more results of the search request.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the prioritization unit is configured to assign the respective priority according to a ranking associated with a respective result.

25. A client system for requesting documents, comprising:

one or more processing units for executing programs;

memory storing one or more programs be executed by the one or more central processing units;

the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

sending a request for a first document to a server;

receiving a first response including the first document;

after sending the request for the first document to the server and before requesting a second document referenced in the first document, receiving a second response, corresponding to a preload operation by the server, the second response including a content fingerprint based on a second document content of a second document referenced in the first document;

determining whether the content fingerprint resides in the client; and

sending a communication to the server indicating that the second response should be terminated.

26. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions for providing the document to the client;

instructions for identifying a plurality of referenced documents referenced by the document;

instructions for assigning respective priorities to least some of the plurality of referenced documents; and

instructions for performing a preload operation after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide a respective referenced document of the plurality of referenced documents, the preload operation including providing the respective referenced document of the plurality of referenced documents, according to its respective priority, to the client, the preload operation including providing to the client a respective content fingerprint of the respective referenced document that is being provided to the client.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for modifying a respective priority of one of the referenced documents based on satisfying a predetermined condition.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions for satisfying the predetermined condition based on a communication received from the client to increase the respective priority.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions for satisfying the predetermined condition based on a communication received from the client including a request for the respective referenced document.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for terminating the providing of one of the referenced documents to the client based on a communication received from the client.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for assigning a respective priority according to a location of the respective referenced document in the document content.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for assigning each of the respective priorities according to an order of presentation of the respective referenced document in the document content.

33. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions for serving a document content of a document to a client;

instructions for identifying in the document content a referenced document;

instructions for obtaining a fresh version of the referenced document;

instructions for generating, after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide the referenced document, a content difference between the fresh version of the referenced document and an earlier version of the referenced document;

instructions for generating a content fingerprint of the fresh version of the referenced document; and

instructions for serving to the client, in response to a document request, the content difference and a content fingerprint of the earlier version of the referenced document.

34. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions for serving a document to a client;

instructions for determining a set of referenced documents referenced in the document, the set being less than all the referenced documents referenced in the document;

instructions for assigning a respective priority to each of the set of referenced documents; and

instructions for performing, after receiving a request to provide the document to the client and before receiving a request from the client to provide a respective referenced document of the set of referenced documents, a preload operation including providing each of the set of referenced documents to the client according to its respective priority.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the document is a document generated in response to a search request and the set represents one or more results of the search request.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions for assigning the respective priority according to a ranking associated with a respective result.