Content versioning in a client/server system with advancing capabilities

• US 9,247,027 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hare, R. Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Peling
• Application Number:
  US14/141,807
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A content item is updated in response to advancing capabilities of a client. A local content item received from a server is stored. The local content item has characteristics customized based on prior capabilities of the client. A determination is made regarding whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item customized based on the prior capabilities of the client. Responsive to determining that the current capabilities of the client exceed the characteristics of the local content item, an updated content item having characteristics customized based on the current capabilities of the client is requested from the server. The updated content item is stored as an updated local content item.

Claims

1. A method of updating a content item in response to advancing capabilities of a client, comprising:

storing a local content item received from a server, the local content item having characteristics customized based on prior capabilities of the client;

determining whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item customized based on the prior capabilities of the client;

responsive to determining that the current capabilities of the client exceed the characteristics of the local content item, requesting from the server an updated content item having characteristics customized based on the current capabilities of the client; and

storing the updated content item as an updated local content item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item has a plurality of characteristics indicating whether a server content item associated with the local content item includes a plurality of different specialized content types, and wherein the current capabilities of the client indicate which of the plurality of different specialized content types are supported by the client.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the characteristics of the local content item with characteristics of a server content item corresponding to the local content item; and

determining, responsive to the comparison, whether a characteristic of the server content item exceeds a characteristic of the local content item and whether the current capabilities of the client support the characteristic of the server content item that exceeds the characteristic of the local content item;

wherein the updated content item is requested from the server responsive to determinations that the characteristic of the server content item exceeds the characteristic of the local content item and that the current capabilities of the client support the characteristic of the server content item that exceeds the characteristic of the local content item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the characteristic of the server content item exceeds the characteristic of the local content item comprises:

receiving, from the server, characteristics of the server content item corresponding to the local content item.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the server content item is in a native format not customized based on particular capabilities of a client.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the current capabilities of the client differ from the prior capabilities of the client;

wherein determining whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item occurs responsive to a detection that the current capabilities of the client differ from the prior capabilities of the client.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the local content item comprises an electronic book (“

ebook”

), and wherein the characteristics customized based on the prior capabilities of the client comprise characteristics for presenting ebook content at the client.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules for updating a content item in response to advancing capabilities of a client, the computer program modules executable to perform steps comprising:

storing a local content item received from a server, the local content item having characteristics customized based on prior capabilities of the client;

determining whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item customized based on the prior capabilities of the client;

responsive to determining that the current capabilities of the client exceed the characteristics of the local content item, requesting from the server an updated content item having characteristics customized based on the current capabilities of the client; and

storing the updated content item as an updated local content item.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content item has a plurality of characteristics indicating whether a server content item associated with the local content item includes a plurality of different specialized content types, and wherein the current capabilities of the client indicate which of the plurality of different specialized content types are supported by the client.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the steps further comprise:

comparing the characteristics of the local content item with characteristics of a server content item corresponding to the local content item; and

determining, responsive to the comparison, whether a characteristic of the server content item exceeds a characteristic of the local content item and whether the current capabilities of the client support the characteristic of the server content item that exceeds the characteristic of the local content item;

and wherein the updated content item is requested from the server responsive to determinations that the characteristic of the server content item exceeds the characteristic of the local content item and that the current capabilities of the client support the characteristic of the server content item that exceeds the characteristic of the local content item.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the characteristic of the server content item exceeds the characteristic of the local content item comprises:

receiving, from the server, characteristics of the server content item corresponding to the local content item.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the server content item is in a native format not customized based on particular capabilities of a client.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the steps further comprise:

detecting that the current capabilities of the client differ from the prior capabilities of the client;

and wherein determining whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item occurs responsive to a detection that the current capabilities of the client differ from the prior capabilities of the client.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the local content item comprises an electronic book (“

ebook”

), and wherein the characteristics customized based on the prior capabilities of the client comprise characteristics for presenting ebook content at the client.

15. A system for updating a content item in response to advancing capabilities of a client, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules executable to perform steps comprising;

storing a local content item received from a server, the local content item having characteristics customized based on prior capabilities of the client;

determining whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item customized based on the prior capabilities of the client;

responsive to determining that the current capabilities of the client exceed the characteristics of the local content item, requesting from the server an updated content item having characteristics customized based on the current capabilities of the client; and

storing the updated content item as an updated local content item; and

a computer processor for executing the computer program modules.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the content item has a plurality of characteristics indicating whether a server content item associated with the local content item includes a plurality of different specialized content types, and wherein the current capabilities of the client indicate which of the plurality of different specialized content types are supported by the client.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the steps further comprise:

comparing the characteristics of the local content item with characteristics of a server content item corresponding to the local content item; and

determining, responsive to the comparison, whether a characteristic of the server content item exceeds a characteristic of the local content item and whether the current capabilities of the client support the characteristic of the server content item that exceeds the characteristic of the local content item;

and wherein the updated content item is requested from the server responsive to determinations that the characteristic of the server content item exceeds the characteristic of the local content item and that the current capabilities of the client support the characteristic of the server content item that exceeds the characteristic of the local content item.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining whether the characteristic of the server content item exceeds the characteristic of the local content item comprises:

receiving, from the server, characteristics of the server content item corresponding to the local content item.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the server content item is in a native format not customized based on particular capabilities of a client.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the steps further comprise:

detecting that the current capabilities of the client differ from the prior capabilities of the client;

and wherein determining whether current capabilities of the client exceed characteristics of the local content item occurs responsive to a detection that the current capabilities of the client differ from the prior capabilities of the client.