Ordering of digital content based on a content model

• US 9,596,314 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Eldawy, Mohamed S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Biagini, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/629,051
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/231
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics

Abstract

Ordering of digital content based on models is presented. A user request for digital content is received. A content prefetching model is selected from a plurality of content prefetching models. The content prefetching model is used for prefetching a plurality of portions of the digital content. The content prefetching models are generated based on prior history associated with the digital content. A prefetch sequence for the digital content is generated based on the selected content prefetching model. The plurality of portions can be obtained using the prefetch sequence.

Claims

1. A method for a server computing system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the server computing system, a user request for digital content;

selecting, by the server computing system, from a plurality of content prefetching models, a content prefetching model for prefetching a plurality of portions of the digital content, wherein each of the plurality of content prefetching models is generated based on prior history associated with the digital content, the prior history comprising a plurality of prefetch sequences recorded by a plurality of user devices with respect to the digital content, wherein the selecting of the content prefetching model from the plurality of content prefetching models is based on a comparison between access information of the plurality of portions of the digital content in individual prefetching models, wherein the comparison between the access information of the plurality of portions in each individual prefetching model is performed using a predetermined metric, and wherein the plurality of content prefetching models comprises two or more of a histogram model, an order of play model or a decision tree model for predicting a prefetch sequence for the digital content;

generating, by a processing device of the server computing system, the prefetch sequence for the digital content based on the selected content prefetching model; and

causing, by the server computing system, the plurality of portions to be obtained using the prefetch sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access information comprises at least one of:

a number of times each portion of the digital content has been viewed, or an order in which the portions of the digital content were played.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the content prefetching model for the digital content comprises:

determining whether the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions;

responsive to determining that the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that does not compare, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions, selecting the histogram model as the content prefetching model;

responsive to determining that the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions, determining whether the order of play model comprises access information for a portion associated with an order value that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for another portion associated with the order value;

responsive to determining that the order of play model comprises access information for the portion associated with the order value that does not compare, using the predetermined metric, to access information for the another portion associated with the order value, selecting the order of play model as the content prefetching model; and

responsive to determining that the order of play model comprises access information for the portion associated with the order value that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for the another portion associated with the order value, selecting the decision tree model as the content prefetching model.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a predefined event associated with the digital content has occurred; and

upon determining that the predefined event associated with the digital content has occurred, selecting another content prefetching model for prefetching the plurality of portions of the digital content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predefined event associated with the digital content occurs when a predefined threshold associated with the digital content has occurred or when the content prefetching model is not effective for the digital content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the histogram model comprises a watch value for each portion of the plurality of portions, and

wherein generating the prefetch sequence for the digital content comprises:

comparing the plurality of watch values for the plurality of portions, and

selecting an order for the prefetch sequence based on the comparison of the plurality of watch values for the plurality of portions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the order of play model comprises an order value for each of the plurality of portions and a watch value associated with each of the plurality of portions, and

wherein generating the prefetch sequence for the digital content comprises;

comparing the plurality of order values for the plurality of portions,

for each order value of a first portion that matches an order value of a second portion;

comparing a watch value associated with the first portion with a watch value associated with the second portion,

if the watch value associated with the first portion compares to the watch value associated with the second portion, selecting the first portion, and

if the corresponding watch value for the first portion compares to the watch value associated with the second portion, selecting the second portion, and

including the selected portion at a position in the prefetch sequence that is equivalent to the order value for the selected portion.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the processing device, a user request for digital content;

selecting, by the processing device, from a plurality of content prefetching models, a content prefetching model for prefetching a plurality of portions of the digital content, wherein each of the plurality of content prefetching models is generated based on prior history associated with the digital content, the prior history comprising a plurality of prefetch sequences recorded by a plurality of user devices with respect to the digital content, wherein the selecting of the content prefetching model from the plurality of content prefetching models is based on a comparison between access information of the plurality of portions of the digital content in individual prefetching models, wherein the comparison between the access information of the plurality of portions in each individual prefetching model is performed using a predetermined metric, and wherein the plurality of content prefetching models comprises two or more of a histogram model, an order of play model or a decision tree model for predicting a prefetch sequence for the digital content;

generating, by the processing device, the prefetch sequence for the digital content based on the selected content prefetching model; and

causing, by the processing device, the plurality of portions to be obtained using the prefetch sequence.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the access information comprises at least one of:

a number of times each portion of the digital content has been viewed, or an order in which the portions of the digital content were played.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein to select the content prefetching model for the digital content, the instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions;

when the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that does not compare, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions, selecting the histogram model as the content prefetching model;

when the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions, determining whether the order of play model comprises access information for a portion associated with an order value that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for another portion associated with the order value;

when the order of play model comprises access information for the portion associated with the order value that does not compare, using the predetermined metric, to access information for the another portion associated with the order value, selecting the order of play model as the content prefetching model; and

when the order of play model comprises access information for the portion associated with the order value that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for the another portion associated with the order value, selecting the decision tree model as the content prefetching model.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a predefined event associated with the digital content has occurred; and

upon determining that the predefined event associated with the digital content has occurred, selecting another content prefetching model for prefetching the plurality of portions of the digital content.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8,

wherein the histogram model comprises a watch value for each portion of the plurality of portions and wherein to generate prefetch the sequence for the digital content, the instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

comparing the plurality of watch values for the plurality of portions, and

selecting an order for the prefetch sequence based on the comparison of the plurality of watch values for the plurality of portions.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the order of play model comprises an order value for each of the plurality of portions and a watch value associated with each of the plurality of portions, and wherein to generate the prefetch sequence for the digital content, the instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

comparing the plurality of order values for the plurality of portions,

for each order value of a first portion that matches an order value of a second portion,

comparing a watch value associated with the first portion with a watch value associated with the second portion,

if the watch value associated with the first portion compares to the watch value associated with the second portion, selecting the first portion, and if the watch value associated with the first portion compares to the watch value associated with the second portion, selecting the second portion, and

including the selected portion at a position in the prefetch sequence that is equivalent to the order value for the selected portion.

14. A computing device comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is configured to;

receive a user request for digital content;

select from a plurality of content prefetching models, a content prefetching model for prefetching a plurality of portions of the digital content, wherein each of the plurality of content prefetching models is generated based on prior history associated with the digital content, the prior history comprising a plurality of prefetch sequences recorded by a plurality of user devices with respect to the digital content, wherein the content prefetching model is selected from the plurality of content prefetching models is based on a comparison between access information of the plurality of portions of the digital content in individual prefetching models, wherein the comparison between the access information of the plurality of portions in each individual prefetching model is performed using a predetermined metric, and wherein the plurality of content prefetching models comprises two or more of a histogram model, an order of play model or a decision tree model for predicting a prefetch sequence for the digital content;

generate the prefetch sequence for the digital content based on the selected content prefetching model; and

cause the plurality of portions to be obtained using the prefetch sequence.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the access information comprises at least one of:

a number of times each portion of the digital content has been viewed, or an order in which the portions of the digital content were played.

16. The computing device of claim 14, wherein to select the content prefetching model for the digital content, the processing device is further configured to:

determine whether the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions;

when the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that does not compare, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions, selecting the histogram model as the content prefetching model;

when the histogram model comprises access information for a first portion of the plurality of portions that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for a second portion of the plurality of portions, determining whether the order of play model comprises access information for a portion associated with an order value that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for another portion associated with the order value;

when the order of play model comprises access information for the portion associated with the order value that does not compare, using the predetermined metric, to access information for the another portion associated with the order value, selecting the order of play model as the content prefetching model; and

when the order of play model comprises access information for the portion associated with the order value that compares, using the predetermined metric, to access information for the another portion associated with the order value, selecting the decision tree model as the content prefetching model.

17. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the processing device is further configured to

determine whether a predefined event associated with the digital content has occurred;

and

upon determining that the predefined event associated with the digital content has occurred, select another content prefetching model for prefetching the plurality of portions of the digital content.

18. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the histogram model comprises a watch value for each portion of the plurality of portions and wherein to generate the prefetch sequence for the digital content, the processing device is further configured to:

compare the plurality of watch values for the plurality of portions, and

select an order for the prefetch sequence based on the comparison of the plurality of watch values for the plurality of portions.

19. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the order of play model comprises an order value for each of the plurality of portions and a watch value associated with each of the plurality of portions, and wherein to generate the prefetch sequence for the digital content, the processing device is further configured to:

compare the plurality of order values for the plurality of portions,

for each order value of a first portion that matches an order value of a second portion;

compare a watch value associated with the first portion with a watch value associated with the second portion,

if the watch value associated with the first portion compares to the watch value associated with the second portion, select the first portion, and

if the watch value associated with the first portion compares to the watch value associated with the second portion,

select the second portion, and

include the selected portion at a position in the prefetch sequence that is equivalent to the order value for the selected portion.