Server, client device and methods therein for handling

• US 10,652,352 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bergkvist, Adam, Hakansson, Stefan, Holmberg, Christer, Lindstrom, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US15/037,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20170289299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 709218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A server (600), a client device (602) and methods therein, for handling cached content resources. When the client device (602) sends a download request (6:3) in a downloading session, the server (600) identifies (6:4) at least one content resource deemed to be potentially needed later in the downloading session. The server (600) then sends a cache map to the client device (602) in a response to the download request. The cache map comprises a pre-fetch indication indicating that the identified at least one content resource should be pre-fetched by the client device (602) from a cache (604) containing the identified at least one content resource. Thereby, the client device is able to pre-fetch (6:8) the content resources before the performance of communication may become reduced so that communication with the cache (604) is difficult or even impossible, e.g. due to deteriorated radio conditions or congestion in the communication network.

Claims

1. A method performed by a server for handling cached content resources, the method comprising:

receiving a download request from a client device in a downloading session,

identifying at least one content resource deemed to be potentially needed later in the downloading session, and

sending a cache map to the client device in a response to the received download request, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that the identified at least one content resource should be pre-fetched by the client device from a cache containing the identified at least one content resource,

wherein an entry in the cache map for each of the identified at least one content resource comprises a pre-fetch indicator which is set to provide said pre-fetch indication and further comprises metadata indicating at least one of time and position of the client device for pre-fetching the respective content resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one content resource is identified based on any of:

events in one or more previous downloading sessions with the client device,

information in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header of a previous download request received from the client device, and

information about a current user of the client device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information about the current user is obtained in a report message received from the client device or from a user information node to which the client device has reported previous download activities of the client device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-fetch indication is included in the cache map upon detecting that a communication network used for the downloading session will be congested.

5. A method performed by a server for handling cached content resources, the method comprising:

receiving a download request from a client device in a downloading session,

identifying at least one content resource deemed to be potentially needed later in the downloading session, and

sending a cache map to the client device in a response to the received download request, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that the identified at least one content resource should be pre-fetched by the client device from a cache containing the identified at least one content resource, wherein the pre-fetch indication is included in the cache map upon detecting that a wireless connection used by the client device will get degraded.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said detecting comprises at least one of:

detecting that the client device is moving into an area of deficient radio coverage, and

detecting that said wireless connection will be lost or interfered due to intense radio traffic.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the pre-fetch indication is included in the cache map when further detecting that a signal quality of said wireless connection will be above a predefined level before getting degraded.

8. A server arranged to handle cached content resources, the server comprising a processor and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the server is configured to:

receive a download request from a client device in a downloading session,

identify at least one content resource deemed to be potentially needed later in the downloading session, and

send a cache map to the client device in a response to the received download request, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that the identified at least one content resource should be pre-fetched by the client device from a cache containing the identified at least one content resource,

wherein an entry in the cache map for each of the identified at least one content resource comprises a pre-fetch indicator which is set to provide said pre-fetch indication and further comprises metadata indicating at least one of time and position of the client device for pre-fetching the respective content resource.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to identify the at least one content resource based on any of:

events in one or more previous downloading sessions with the client device,

information in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header of a previous download request received from the client device, and

information about a current user of the client device.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the information about the current user is obtained in a report message received from the client device or from a user information node to which the client device has reported previous download activities of the client device.

11. The server of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to include the pre-fetch indication in the cache map upon detecting that a communication network used for the downloading session will be congested.

12. A server arranged to handle cached content resources, the server comprising a processor and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the server is configured to:

receive a download request from a client device in a downloading session,

identify at least one content resource deemed to be potentially needed later in the downloading session, and

send a cache map to the client device in a response to the received download request, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that the identified at least one content resource should be pre-fetched by the client device from a cache containing the identified at least one content resource, wherein the server is configured to include the pre-fetch indication in the cache map upon detecting that a wireless connection used by the client device will get degraded.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the server is configured to perform said detecting by at least one of:

detecting that the client device is moving into an area of deficient radio coverage, and

detecting that said wireless connection will be lost or interfered due to intense radio traffic.

14. The server of claim 12, wherein the server is configured to include the pre-fetch indication in the cache map when further detecting that a signal quality of said wireless connection will be above a predefined level before getting degraded.

15. A method performed by a client device for handling cached content resources, the method comprising:

receiving a cache map from a server during a downloading session, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that at least one content resource should be pre-fetched from a cache, and

pre-fetching the at least one content resource from the cache according to the pre-fetch indication, to enable subsequent usage of the at least one content resource in the client device once the at least one content resource is requested or needed in the client device,

wherein an entry in the received cache map for each of the at least one content resource comprises a pre-fetch indicator which is set to provide said indication and wherein the at least one content resource is pre-fetched from said cache according to metadata comprised in said entry, the metadata indicating at least one of time and position of the client device for pre-fetching the respective content resource.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said pre-fetching of the at least one content resource from the cache is executed by means of a caching agent implemented in any one of:

a client application running in the client device,

a script of a ServiceWorker, and

a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Library.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the cache map is received in response to a download request sent to the server in the downloading session.

18. A client device arranged to handle cached content resources, the client device comprising a processor and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the client device is configured to:

receive a cache map from a server during a downloading session, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that at least one content resource should be pre-fetched from a cache, and

pre-fetch the at least one content resource from the cache according to the pre-fetch indication, to enable subsequent usage of the at least one content resource in the client device once the at least one content resource is requested or needed in the client device,

wherein an entry in the received cache map for each of the at least one content resource comprises a pre-fetch indicator which is set to provide said indication and wherein the at least one content resource is pre-fetched from said cache according to metadata comprised in said entry, the metadata indicating at least one of time and position of the client device for pre-fetching the respective content resource.

19. The client device of claim 18, wherein said pre-fetching of the at least one content resource from the cache is executed by means of a caching agent implemented in any one of:

a client application running in the client device,

a script of a ServiceWorker, and

a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Library.

20. The client device of claim 18, wherein the cache map is received in response to a download request sent to the server in the downloading session.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a server, cause the server to:

receive a download request from a client device in a downloading session,

identify at least one content resource deemed to be potentially needed later in the downloading session, and

send a cache map to the client device in a response to the received download request, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that the identified at least one content resource should be pre-fetched by the client device from a cache containing the identified at least one content resource,

wherein an entry in the cache map for each of the identified at least one content resource comprises a pre-fetch indicator which is set to provide said pre-fetch indication and further comprises metadata indicating at least one of time and position of the client device for pre-fetching the respective content resource.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a client device, cause the client device to:

receive a cache map from a server during a downloading session, the cache map comprising a pre-fetch indication indicating that at least one content resource should be pre-fetched from a cache, and

pre-fetch the at least one content resource from the cache according to the pre-fetch indication, to enable subsequent usage of the at least one content resource in the client device once the at least one content resource is requested or needed in the client device,

wherein an entry in the received cache map for each of the at least one content resource comprises a pre-fetch indicator which is set to provide said indication and wherein the at least one content resource is pre-fetched from said cache according to metadata comprised in said entry, the metadata indicating at least one of time and position of the client device for pre-fetching the respective content resource.