Browser cache assist for accessing web-based content

• US 9,152,732 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zearing, David, Mastrangelo, Michael, Miranda Steiner, Emmanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Monica C
• Application Number:
  US13/287,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20130110906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A web application residing in a client device generates a user interface containing data objects hosted on a remote server. The web application contains a web app cache storing the data objects rendered in a web page. As additional data objects are needed, the web application searches for them first in the web app cache, then a browser cache, before utilizing a web browser to retrieve the data objects from the remote server.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a client device having at least one processor and a memory, the method comprising:

storing in the client device one or more data objects in a web app cache, the data objects associated with data residing on a remote server;

storing in the client device one or more of the data objects in a browser cache, each data object stored in the browser cache identified through an uniform resource locator (URL), a storage location of the web app cache differs from a storage location of the browser cache, at least one data object in the web app cache not in the browser cache;

searching for a first data object in the web app cache;

upon not finding the first data object in the web app cache, generating a request for the first data object, the request including a transaction identifier and a first URL, the first URL including a version of the first data object, the transaction identifier uniquely identifying a source of the request;

searching for the first data object in the browser cache using the first URL; and

upon finding the first data object in the browser cache;

rendering a user interface using the first data object stored in the browser cache; and

while rendering the user interface;

determining that the first data object from the browser cache is stale;

obtaining a second copy of the first data object from the remote server using a second URL, the second URL including a cache breaker string; and

rendering the second copy of the first data object in the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first data object from the browser cache is stale, further comprises:

transmitting the request to the remote server;

receiving a response from the remote server including a copy of the first data object and a received transaction identifier;

storing the copy of the first data object in the web app cache when the received transaction identifier matches the transaction identifier used in the request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the first data object is not found in the browser cache;

requesting the first data object from the remote server, the request including a version identifier;

receiving a response including a copy of the first data object from the remote server with an indication to cache the first data object in the browser cache, wherein the indication to cache the first data object is set by the remote server when the version identifier in the request matches the version of the first data object in the remote server.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

storing the first data object in the web app cache when the transaction identifier in the request matches a transaction identifier received in the response.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data object is one of a root directory, a parent directory, a child directory, or a file stored in a hierarchical structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server is one of a file hosting server or a social networking web site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein upon finding the first data object in the browser cache, further comprises:

ignoring the second copy of the first data object upon determining that the second copy of the first data object is not a current copy of the first data object.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing thereon one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a client device, the one or more programs comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed perform the actions of:

storing in the client device one or more data objects in a web app cache, the data objects associated with data residing on a remote server;

storing in the client device one or more data objects in a browser cache, each data object stored in the browser cache identified through an uniform resource locator (URL), a storage location of the browser cache differs from a storage location of the web app cache, at least one data object in the web app cache not in the browser cache;

searching for a first data object in the web app cache;

upon not finding the first data object in the web app cache, generating a request for the first data object, the request including a transaction identifier and a first URL, the first URL including a version of the first data object, the transaction identifier uniquely identifying a source of the request;

searching for the first data object in the browser cache using the URL; and

upon finding the first data object in the browser cache;

rendering a user interface having the first data object stored in the browser cache;

while rendering the user interface;

determining that the copy of the first data object from the browser cache is stale;

obtaining a second copy of the first data object from the remote server using a second URL, the second URL including a cache breaker string;

and

rendering the second copy of the first data object in the user interface upon determining that the second copy of the first data object is a current copy of the first data object.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining that the copy of the first data object from the browser cache is stale performs further actions comprising:

receiving a response from the remote server including a copy of the first data object and a received transaction identifier;

storing the copy of the first data object in the web app cache when the received transaction identifier matches the transaction identifier used in the request.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed perform the actions of:

when the first data object is not found in the browser cache;

requesting the first data object from the remote server, the request including a version identifier;

receiving a response including the first data object from the remote server with an indication to cache the first data object in the browser cache, wherein the indication to cache the first data object is set by the remote server when the version identifier in the request matches the version of the first data object in the remote server.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed perform the actions of:

storing the first data object in the web app cache when the transaction identifier in the request matches a transaction identifier received in the response.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first data object is one of a root directory, a parent directory, a child directory, or a file stored in a hierarchical structure.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the remote server is one of a file hosting server or a social networking web site.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein upon finding the first data object in the browser cache, performs further actions comprising:

ignoring the second copy of the first data object in the user interface upon determining that the second copy of the first data object is not a current copy of the first data object.

15. A system, comprising:

a client device having at least one processor and a memory;

the memory comprising;

a browser configured to execute on the client device;

a web application configured to execute within the browser;

a web app cache storing one or more data objects comprising data stored on a remote server; and

a browser cache storing one or more of the data objects, each data object stored in the browser cache identified by a uniform resource locator (URL), a storage location of the web app cache differs from a storage location of the browser cache, at least one data object stored in the web app cache not in the browser cache;

wherein;

the web application searches for a first data object in the web app cache, upon not finding the first data object in the web app cache, generating a request for the first data object, the request including a transaction identifier and a first URL, the first URL including a version of the first data object, the transaction identifier uniquely identifying a source of the request;

the browser using the first URL to search for the first data object in the browser cache, upon finding the first data object in the browser cache, the browser renders a user interface including the first data object;

the web application concurrently with the browser rendering the user interface, determines that the first data object is stale and obtains a second copy of the first data object from the remote server using a second URL, the second URL including a cache breaker string; and

the browser renders the user interface with the second copy of the first data object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the web application stores the copy of the first data object in the web app cache when a transaction identifier received in response to obtaining the second copy matches the transaction identifier used in the request.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the web application ignores the second copy of the first data object in the user interface upon determining that the second copy of the first data object is not a current copy of the first data object.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the web application stores the first data object in the web app cache when the transaction identifier in the request matches the transaction identifier received in the response.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first data object wherein the first data object is one of a root directory, a parent directory, a child directory, or a file stored in a hierarchical structure.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote server is one of a file hosting server or a social networking web site.